Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,800 a month against $4,929 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Rafael, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
238

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in San Rafael, 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 Rafael, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $4,929 in San Rafael, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,800
San Rafael, CA $4,929

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $6,391 in San Rafael, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,702
San Rafael, CA $6,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $7,853 in San Rafael, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,603
San Rafael, CA $7,853

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 23% less than in San Rafael, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, San Rafael, CA 265% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$24.68 $24.68

2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$120 $120

-15.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$12.05 $12.05

23.24%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.74 $4.74

39.03%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.03 $3.03

6.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.93 $2.93

7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.38 $5.38

52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.98 $6.98

15.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.42 $1.42

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.51 $4.51

13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$9.69 $9.69

-34.98%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$5.42 $5.42

-9.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$23.21 $23.21

-17.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$15.45 $15.45

19.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$18.15 $18.15

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$7.63 $7.63

-23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.93 $2.93

-33.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$6.29 $6.29

-15.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$8.58 $8.58

-24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$5.89 $5.89

-39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$5.44 $5.44

-42.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.07 $3.07

-7.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.89 $3.89

-37.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.85 $10.85

17.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$12.96 $12.96

15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.23 $2.23

87.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.99 $2.99

100.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.05 $2.05

48.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$65.7 $65.7

67.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$4.10 $4.10

-37.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$4.44 $4.44

-63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$28.84 $28.84

2.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.44 $1.44

-1.39%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$32.0K $32.0K

11.56%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

-3.31%

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

$299 $299

$253 $253

17.97%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$85.4 $85.4

-17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$61.3 $61.3

44.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$124 $124

-35.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$30.21 $30.21

17.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$13.14 $13.14

30.29%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$2,088 $2,088

44.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

26.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$59.7 $59.7

29.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$42.92 $42.92

28.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$96.8 $96.8

29.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$126 $126

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$3,074 $3,074

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$3,202 $3,202

-38.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$4,278 $4,278

10.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$3,860 $3,860

-8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$7,456 $7,456

-1.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$5,281 $5,281

-4.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$7,077 $7,077

-11.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.62

3.47%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

San Rafael, CA

$3.2K 65% 63.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

San Rafael, CA

$575 11.7% 6.3% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

San Rafael, CA

$400 8.1% 12.7% $58

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

San Rafael, CA

$355 7.2% 13.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

San Rafael, CA

$147 3% 22.6% $43

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

San Rafael, CA

$100 2% 24.7% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3% 31.9% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $3,074 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $120 in San Rafael, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $575 per month, with Seattle, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

13:33 1:33 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

58,704

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA San Rafael, CA 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
San Rafael, CA

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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 Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in San Rafael, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seattle, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in San Rafael, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $3,074 in San Rafael, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $4,929 in San Rafael, CA – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 68% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Seattle, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,800 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seattle, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and San Rafael, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.