Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Upland, CA: $2,406 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Upland, CA
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Upland, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Upland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,406 in Upland, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Upland, CA $2,406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,533 in Upland, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Upland, CA $3,533

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,661 in Upland, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Upland, CA $4,661

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Upland, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Upland, CA 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$14.85 $14.85

60.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$71.1 $71.1

38.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.93 $11.93

25.23%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$1.99 $1.99

241.21%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.01 $2.01

60.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.02 $2.02

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.38 $7.38

11.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$9.58 $9.58

-17.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.08 $1.08

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.22 $2.22

138.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.22 $2.22

159.46%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.67 $4.67

4.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$8.96 $8.96

126.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$6.75 $6.75

165.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.21 $15.21

53.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.43 $4.43

34.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.71 $1.71

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.24 $3.24

65.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.93 $5.93

10.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.23 $2.23

52.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.21 $2.21

30.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.97 $1.97

46.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.83 $1.83

32.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.90 $11.90

2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$12.01 $12.01

26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.91 $1.91

129.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.28 $1.28

360.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.82 $1.82

62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.3 $60.3

81.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.16 $3.16

-20.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.84 $1.84

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$35.62 $35.62

-16.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.41 $1.41

7.09%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$29.3K $29.3K

23.62%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.5K $27.5K

-6.55%

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

$289 $289

$167 $167

73.24%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$67.8 $67.8

1.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$59.3 $59.3

43.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$44.63 $44.63

55.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$15.36 $15.36

16.99%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,879 $1,879

49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$18.1K $18.1K

142.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$58.0 $58.0

57.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$39.32 $39.32

40.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$74.7 $74.7

70.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$120 $120

34.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,562 $1,562

65.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,255 $1,255

54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,599 $2,599

96.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,102 $2,102

68.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,531 $2,531

190.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,671 $2,671

84.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$5,200 $5,200

23.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.31

7.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Upland, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Upland, CA

$1.3K 52.2% 35.4% $687

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Upland, CA

$319 13.3% 41.3% $225

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Upland, CA

$294 12.2% 33.6% $149

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Upland, CA

$251 10.4% 37.2% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Upland, CA

$131 5.5% 32.9% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Upland, CA

$80 3.3% 39.5% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Upland, CA

$75 3.1% 28.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,562 in Upland, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 24% 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: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $71 in Upland, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $319 per month, with Upland, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Upland, CA

🕒 Local time

14:03 2:03 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

73,379

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Upland, CA 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Upland, CA

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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 Upland, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Upland, CA is about 36% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,562 in Upland, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Upland, CA – a meal for two runs $71 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,406 in Upland, CA – Upland, CA is about 36% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,406 in Upland, CA versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Upland, CA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Upland, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Upland, 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.