Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,800 a month against $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Santa Monica, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
214

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Santa Monica, CA $4,430

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,581 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Santa Monica, CA $6,581

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $8,732 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Santa Monica, CA $8,732

Seattle, WA is about 14% cheaper than Santa Monica, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Santa Monica, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Santa Monica, CA by 228%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$26.77 $26.77

-5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.88 $14.88

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.93 $5.93

11.13%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.26 $3.26

-1.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.40 $2.40

30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$8.13 $8.13

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.95 $9.95

-19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.34 $1.34

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.57 $4.57

12.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.65 $4.65

35.48%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$5.73 $5.73

-14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$15.77 $15.77

21.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$14.21 $14.21

30.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$19.80 $19.80

16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.76 $4.76

22.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.29 $2.29

-14.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.95 $3.95

33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.45 $5.45

18.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.31 $3.31

7.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.83 $2.83

11.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.14 $2.14

33.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.48 $2.48

-2.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$11.56 $11.56

10.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.25 $15.25

-1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.43 $2.43

71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.06 $3.06

95.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.52 $2.52

20.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$67.0 $67.0

64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.15 $3.15

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.90 $1.90

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$32.68 $32.68

-9.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.45 $1.45

-2.07%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-2.85%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.03%

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

$299 $299

$218 $218

37.29%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$46.37 $46.37

52.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$65.1 $65.1

35.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$70.7 $70.7

12.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$44.11 $44.11

-19.81%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$19.36 $19.36

-11.57%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,694 $1,694

77.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$32.5K $32.5K

-2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$88.9 $88.9

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$54.8 $54.8

0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$104 $104

20.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$121 $121

33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$3,328 $3,328

-25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$2,860 $2,860

-31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$5,804 $5,804

-18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$5,048 $5,048

-29.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$10.9K $10.9K

-32.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$7,924 $7,924

-36.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$6,900 $6,900

-8.90%

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 Santa Monica, CA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K 64.6% 46.2% $904

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Santa Monica, CA

$462 10.4% 14.8% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Santa Monica, CA

$329 7.4% 28.1% $129

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Santa Monica, CA

$413 9.3% 1.1% $4.6

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Santa Monica, CA

$166 3.8% 12.2% $23

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Santa Monica, CA

$90 2% 32.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Santa Monica, CA

$109 2.5% 3.8% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $3,328 in Santa Monica, 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 10% higher in Santa Monica, 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 $118 in Santa Monica, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $542 in Seattle, WA vs $462 in Santa Monica, CA – so Santa Monica, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Santa Monica, CA

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

89,736

💱 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 Santa Monica, CA 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Santa Monica, CA is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,645 in Santa Monica, 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $3,013 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,694 in Santa Monica, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Santa Monica, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Seattle, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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