Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,782 a month against $4,309 in Tustin, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tustin, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
210

Cost of Living Index in Tustin, CA
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Tustin, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Tustin, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,309

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $4,309 in Tustin, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Tustin, CA $4,309

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $5,936 in Tustin, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Tustin, CA $5,936

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $7,563 in Tustin, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Tustin, CA $7,563

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 12% less than in Tustin, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Tustin, CA 218% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$25.14 $25.14

-2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$69.5 $69.5

41.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.07 $15.07

-1.86%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.73 $5.73

13.79%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.06 $3.06

5.56%

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

$7.26 $7.26

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.74 $9.74

-17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.20 $1.20

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.12 $5.12

0.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.78 $4.78

26.57%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.86 $4.86

0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$15.67 $15.67

22.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.43 $13.43

40.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$15.17 $15.17

53.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.60 $4.60

30.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.48 $2.48

-22.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.08 $4.08

28.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.76 $5.76

14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.67 $3.67

-1.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.18 $3.18

4.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.09 $2.09

33.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.71 $2.71

-7.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.57 $11.57

5.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.44 $2.44

72.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.38 $4.38

31.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 $2.05

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$34.59 $34.59

207.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.18 $3.18

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.81 $1.81

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.77 $29.77

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.50 $1.50

-0.67%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

22.44%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.15%

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

$302 $302

$214 $214

41.16%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$86.6 $86.6

-19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$71.9 $71.9

18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$96.4 $96.4

-19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$25.25 $25.25

36.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$17.30 $17.30

3.12%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,465 $1,465

102.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$30.5K $30.5K

2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$72.4 $72.4

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.10 $41.10

31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$105 $105

22.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$147 $147

11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$3,131 $3,131

-21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,741 $2,741

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$4,420 $4,420

7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$4,160 $4,160

-16.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$7,723 $7,723

-4.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$5,320 $5,320

-3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,945 $4,945

31.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tustin, 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%

Tustin, CA

$2.7K 63.6% 40.8% $794

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Tustin, CA

$453 10.5% 16.9% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Tustin, CA

$372 8.6% 18.6% $85

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Tustin, CA

$392 9.1% 1.8% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Tustin, CA

$165 3.8% 13.5% $26

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Tustin, CA

$55 1.3% 57.5% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Tustin, CA

$131 3% 15.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $3,131 in Tustin, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $69.0 in Tustin, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $453 per month, with Tustin, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Tustin, CA

🕒 Local time

03:44 3:44 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

69,665

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% 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 $3,131 in Tustin, 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 $98.0 versus $69.0 in Tustin, CA. 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 $4,309 in Tustin, CA – a 14% 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 Tustin, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Tustin, 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 14% less than in Tustin, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.