Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Stockton, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Stockton, CA: $2,772 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Stockton, CA
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Stockton, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Stockton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,772

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,772 in Stockton, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Stockton, CA $2,772

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,241 in Stockton, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Stockton, CA $4,241

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,710 in Stockton, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Stockton, CA $5,710

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 36% more expensive than in Stockton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Stockton, CA 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$22.05 $22.05

11.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$74.5 $74.5

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.18 $12.18

21.43%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.66 $5.66

15.19%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.18 $3.18

1.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.30 $2.30

37.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.79 $7.79

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.71 $6.71

19.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.44 $1.44

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.50 $4.50

14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.21 $4.21

43.71%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.94 $5.94

-17.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$8.98 $8.98

113.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.98 $13.98

35.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$22.18 $22.18

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.39 $5.39

11.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.30 $1.30

48.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.74 $3.74

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.57 $5.57

17.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.09 $2.09

73.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.98 $2.98

11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.43 $2.43

14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.58 $2.58

-2.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.58 $11.58

5.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.91 $15.91

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.69 $1.69

149.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$1.26 $1.26

357.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.44 $2.44

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.03 $40.03

165.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.44 $3.44

-22.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.95 $2.95

-41.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.84 $29.84

-0.40%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

31.89%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

-0.61%

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

$302 $302

$278 $278

8.74%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$47.45 $47.45

47.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$82.3 $82.3

3.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.77 $36.77

111.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.82 $13.82

29.09%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$250 $250

1089.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$15.1K $15.1K

107.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$60.6 $60.6

26.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$28.70 $28.70

88.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$78.9 $78.9

62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$74.2 $74.2

121.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,580 $1,580

54.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,332 $1,332

46.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,931 $2,931

61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,645 $2,645

31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,652 $3,652

101.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$3,202 $3,202

60.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,983 $3,983

63.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.49

6.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Stockton, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Stockton, CA

$1.3K 48% 31.6% $615

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Stockton, CA

$436 15.8% 20% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Stockton, CA

$407 14.7% 10.9% $50

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Stockton, CA

$355 12.8% 11.1% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Stockton, CA

$109 3.9% 42.7% $81

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Stockton, CA

$68 2.5% 47.4% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Stockton, CA

$64 2.3% 43.3% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,580 in Stockton, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 63% 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 $75.0 in Stockton, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $436 per month, with Stockton, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Stockton, CA

🕒 Local time

00:37 12:37 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

305,658

💱 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 Stockton, CA 1,080 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Stockton, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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 $1,580 in Stockton, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Stockton, CA – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,772 in Stockton, CA – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Stockton, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Stockton, 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 Stockton, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.