Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Union City, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Union City, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $2,686 in Union City, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $3,928 in Union City, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $5,169 in Union City, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 33% more expensive than Union City, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Union City, CA 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$22.33 $22.33

11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$76.2 $76.2

56.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.17 $11.17

24.44%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.82 $5.82

-4.47%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.82 $2.82

8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.95 $2.95

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$7.37 $7.37

8.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$9.05 $9.05

-11.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.21 $1.21

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.53 $3.53

43.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.42 $5.42

-1.11%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$3.84 $3.84

71.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$19.44 $19.44

30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$9.90 $9.90

63.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$8.57 $8.57

136.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.08 $5.08

17.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.55 $2.55

7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.02 $3.02

77.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$6.74 $6.74

-1.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.21 $2.21

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$4.12 $4.12

-8.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.31 $2.31

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.12 $3.12

-18.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$12.15 $12.15

-6.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.74 $12.74

27.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.82 $1.82

56.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.67 $2.67

55.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.99 $1.99

35.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.52 $3.52

-23.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.86 $1.86

-6.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$28.78 $28.78

2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.24 $1.24

-3.23%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

9.83%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.7K $24.7K

5.36%

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

$266 $266

$194 $194

37.31%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$46.26 $46.26

30.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$77.1 $77.1

-1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$42.70 $42.70

85.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$12.31 $12.31

31.76%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$1,714 $1,714

33.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$31.7K $31.7K

-6.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$21.63 $21.63

221.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$34.98 $34.98

50.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$104 $104

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$234 $234

-38.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,632 $1,632

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$1,361 $1,361

37.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$5,325 $5,325

-11.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$2,179 $2,179

61.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$7,091 $7,091

-8.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

7.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Union City, CA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $1,632 in Union City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union City, CA pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $76.0 in Union City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $406 per month, with Union City, 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 Union City, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Union City, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Union City, CA earns 9% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $1,632 in Union City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,280 in Seattle, WA versus $1,714 in Union City, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Union City, CA – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Union City, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Union City, 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Union City, 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 Union City, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.