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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $3,739 in Vacaville, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $4,925 in Vacaville, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $6,110 in Vacaville, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 3% more expensive than in Vacaville, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Vacaville, CA 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$20.20 $20.20

22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$45.17 $45.17

119.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$12.75 $12.75

18.35%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$6.02 $6.02

9.97%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$3.12 $3.12

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.66 $2.66

12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.88 $6.88

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.96 $6.96

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.71 $1.71

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.92 $4.92

5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.24 $5.24

22.14%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.28 $5.28

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$17.45 $17.45

22.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$16.07 $16.07

15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$23.92 $23.92

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$6.43 $6.43

-9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.93 $1.93

-2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.09 $4.09

31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$7.39 $7.39

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.25 $3.25

16.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.88 $3.88

-15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.94 $2.94

-2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.84 $2.84

-4.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.15 $12.15

16.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.04 $15.04

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.16 $3.16

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.45 $3.45

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.12 $4.12

-37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.01 $2.01

-17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$38.31 $38.31

-22.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.41 $1.41

-2.13%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.7K $37.7K

-3.44%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.66%

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

$296 $296

$240 $240

23.18%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$64.6 $64.6

10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$77.9 $77.9

12.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$45.42 $45.42

79.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$17.95 $17.95

2.12%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$2,944 $2,944

4.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$41.4K $41.4K

-26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$81.5 $81.5

-5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$54.2 $54.2

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$109 $109

17.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$151 $151

8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$2,348 $2,348

2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$2,213 $2,213

-12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,812 $2,812

69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,940 $2,940

21.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$3,775 $3,775

96.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$5,288 $5,288

19.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.46

-0.62%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Vacaville, CA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $2,348 in Vacaville, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 20% 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: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $45.00 in Vacaville, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $526 per month, with Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vacaville, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $2,348 in Vacaville, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $2,944 in Vacaville, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Vacaville, CA – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.