Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Santa Ana, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Ana, CA: $3,474 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
170

Cost of Living Index in Santa Ana, CA
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Santa Ana, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Santa Ana, CA $3,474

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $5,054 in Santa Ana, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Santa Ana, CA $5,054

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $6,635 in Santa Ana, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Santa Ana, CA $6,635

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 9% more expensive than in Santa Ana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Santa Ana, CA 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$22.65 $22.65

8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$81.4 $81.4

20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$16.64 $16.64

-11.12%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.92 $5.92

10.14%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.02 $3.02

6.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.39 $2.39

32.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.35 $7.35

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.71 $9.71

-17.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.04 $1.04

16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.03 $4.03

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.67 $4.67

29.55%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.79 $5.79

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.90 $12.90

48.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$17.06 $17.06

10.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$21.14 $21.14

10.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.93 $4.93

21.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.67 $1.67

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.10 $4.10

28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.73 $5.73

14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.72 $3.72

-2.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.18 $3.18

4.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.10 $2.10

32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.84 $1.84

36.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.69 $11.69

4.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.88 $14.88

-0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.50 $2.50

68.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.06 $4.06

42.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.98 $1.98

48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$69.0 $69.0

53.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$6.31 $6.31

-58.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$4.84 $4.84

-64.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$48.18 $48.18

-38.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 $1.51

-1.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

22.34%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

-2.56%

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

$302 $302

$173 $173

73.98%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$67.7 $67.7

3.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$73.8 $73.8

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$56.7 $56.7

37.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$44.05 $44.05

-21.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.40 $15.40

15.84%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,202 $1,202

147.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$62.5 $62.5

22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.17 $42.17

28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$106 $106

20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$145 $145

13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,617 $2,617

-6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,965 $1,965

-0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$3,217 $3,217

47.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$3,227 $3,227

7.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$4,596 $4,596

60.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$4,226 $4,226

21.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,286 $3,286

98.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.39

7.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santa Ana, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Santa Ana, CA

$2K 56.6% 1% $19

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Santa Ana, CA

$458 13.2% 16.1% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Santa Ana, CA

$315 9.1% 31.1% $142

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Santa Ana, CA

$380 10.9% 4.9% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Santa Ana, CA

$160 4.6% 15.8% $30

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Santa Ana, CA

$107 3.1% 16.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Santa Ana, CA

$87 2.5% 23% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,617 in Santa Ana, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 98% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in Santa Ana, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $458 per month, with Santa Ana, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Santa Ana, CA

🕒 Local time

04:40 4:40 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

335,400

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Seattle, WA Santa Ana, CA 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Ana, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 98% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,617 in Santa Ana, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Ana, CA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Santa Ana, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Santa Ana, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.