Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Thousand Oaks, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Thousand Oaks, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,760 in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $5,233 in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,707 in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 4% less than in Thousand Oaks, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Thousand Oaks, CA 181% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$25.26 $25.26

-1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$98.2 $98.2

19.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$8.52 $8.52

61.62%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.67 $5.67

0.71%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.74 $2.74

11.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.02 $2.02

23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.84 $6.84

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.90 $8.90

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.22 $1.22

10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.78 $3.78

33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.49 $4.49

20.04%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.61 $4.61

48.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$12.43 $12.43

101.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$13.74 $13.74

15.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.61 $16.61

23.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.10 $5.10

20.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.93 $1.93

46.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.75 $3.75

46.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.53 $5.53

21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.28 $3.28

-3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.76 $2.76

38.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.63 $1.63

65.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.11 $2.11

25.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.93 $8.93

30.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.11 $15.11

3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.70 $1.70

72.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.47 $1.47

188.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.78 $2.78

1.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$49.53 $49.53

102.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.12 $4.12

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.01 $2.01

-14.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$32.24 $32.24

-6.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.30 $1.30

-8.46%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$28.0K $28.0K

16.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.1K $21.1K

23.72%

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

$263 $263

$161 $161

63.35%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$48.31 $48.31

26.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$72.4 $72.4

4.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$67.7 $67.7

17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$22.91 $22.91

74.12%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.13 $14.13

15.15%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,721 $1,721

32.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$39.5K $39.5K

-25.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$49.79 $49.79

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$30.13 $30.13

72.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$75.6 $75.6

53.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$118 $118

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,631 $2,631

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$2,526 $2,526

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$3,917 $3,917

18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,449 $3,449

0.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$5,972 $5,972

30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$5,840 $5,840

-10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$5,813 $5,813

13.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.67

-3.75%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Thousand Oaks, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $2,631 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $411 per month, with Thousand Oaks, CA cheaper across the board.

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 Thousand Oaks, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Thousand Oaks, CA differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $3,760 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 14% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $2,631 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $118 versus $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,598 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,760 in Thousand Oaks, CA – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Thousand Oaks, 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 5% less than in Thousand Oaks, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.