Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and San Mateo, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Mateo, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
223

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in San Mateo, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in San Mateo, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
San Mateo, CA $4,607

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,460 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
San Mateo, CA $6,460

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $8,313 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
San Mateo, CA $8,313

Seattle, WA is about 18% cheaper than San Mateo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Seattle, WA and San Mateo, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, San Mateo, CA by 238%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.32 $20.32

24.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.89 $12.89

14.51%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.80 $5.80

12.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.04 $3.04

5.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.81 $2.81

11.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.35 $8.35

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$10.14 $10.14

-19.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.64 $1.64

-28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.95 $5.95

-10.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.23 $6.23

2.73%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$7.45 $7.45

-32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.58 $13.58

37.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$18.53 $18.53

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.67 $19.67

16.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.92 $5.92

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.25 $2.25

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.06 $4.06

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$8.56 $8.56

-23.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.38 $4.38

-20.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.19 $3.19

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.02 $3.02

-7.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.76 $11.76

6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.52 $14.52

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.99 $1.99

191.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.20 $2.20

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$64.8 $64.8

63.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.24 $4.24

-39.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.05 $2.05

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.55 $1.55

-9.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.4K $27.4K

34.07%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.50%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$308 $308

$268 $268

14.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$41.40 $41.40

67.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$60.9 $60.9

41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$81.3 $81.3

-5.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$9.60 $9.60

269.79%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.80 $17.80

1.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,746 $2,746

$3,045 $3,045

-9.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$28.6K $28.6K

6.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$62.0 $62.0

27.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$45.94 $45.94

18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$118 $118

7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$137 $137

16.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,414 $3,414

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,991 $2,991

-35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$5,766 $5,766

-11.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$4,683 $4,683

-24.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$9,613 $9,613

-23.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$8,493 $8,493

-41.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$7,661 $7,661

-15.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.53

5.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

San Mateo, CA

$3K 64.9% 54.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

San Mateo, CA

$522 11.3% 4.6% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

San Mateo, CA

$370 8% 20.1% $93

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

San Mateo, CA

$356 7.7% 12.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.6% 13.4% $25

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

San Mateo, CA

$88 1.9% 31.7% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

San Mateo, CA

$117 2.5% 3.9% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $3,414 in San Mateo, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in San Mateo, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $101 in San Mateo, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $547 in Seattle, WA vs $522 in San Mateo, CA – so San Mateo, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🕒 Local time

05:08 5:08 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

103,536

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA San Mateo, CA 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
San Mateo, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs San Mateo, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $4,607 in San Mateo, CA – Seattle, WA comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,910 in San Mateo, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,414 in San Mateo, CA.

Public transport costs about 39% less in San Mateo, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in San Mateo, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $4,607 in San Mateo, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,785 in Seattle, WA to $4,607 in San Mateo, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Seattle, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.