Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Vacaville, CA: $3,782 and $3,635 a month, rent and utilities included.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
177

Cost of Living Index in Vacaville, CA
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Vacaville, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Vacaville, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $3,635 in Vacaville, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Vacaville, CA $3,635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,771 in Vacaville, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Vacaville, CA $4,771

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,907 in Vacaville, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Vacaville, CA $5,907

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 4% more expensive than in Vacaville, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Vacaville, CA 168% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.25 $20.25

21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$45.54 $45.54

115.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$13.24 $13.24

11.71%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.98 $5.98

9.03%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.11 $3.11

3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.75 $2.75

15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.13 $7.13

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.94 $6.94

15.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.70 $1.70

-28.82%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.83 $4.83

6.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.89 $4.89

23.72%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.85 $4.85

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$16.50 $16.50

16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$15.34 $15.34

23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$22.83 $22.83

2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.09 $6.09

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.06 $4.06

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.76 $6.76

-2.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.03 $3.03

19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.60 $3.60

-8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.80 $2.80

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.63 $2.63

-4.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.09 $12.09

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.43 $14.43

2.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.08 $3.08

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.65 $3.65

58.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.26 $4.26

-37.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.07 $2.07

-16.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$38.61 $38.61

-23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 $1.51

-1.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$34.8K $34.8K

3.19%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.86%

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

$302 $302

$211 $211

43.01%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$60.3 $60.3

16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$76.8 $76.8

11.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$45.20 $45.20

72.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$17.82 $17.82

0.11%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$2,963 $2,963

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$43.1K $43.1K

-27.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$74.7 $74.7

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$48.57 $48.57

11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$101 $101

27.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$141 $141

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,349 $2,349

4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,179 $2,179

-10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,901 $2,901

63.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,865 $2,865

21.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,750 $3,750

96.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,315 $5,315

22.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.76

1.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Vacaville, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Vacaville, CA

$2.2K 60% 11.9% $232

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Vacaville, CA

$502 13.8% 8.1% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Vacaville, CA

$348 9.6% 23.9% $109

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Vacaville, CA

$346 9.5% 13.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Vacaville, CA

$164 4.5% 13.8% $26

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Vacaville, CA

$15 * 0.4% 88.7% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Vacaville, CA

$81 2.2% 28.8% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,349 in Vacaville, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 22% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $46.00 in Vacaville, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $502 per month, with Vacaville, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Vacaville, CA

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

100,670

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Vacaville, CA 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Vacaville, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $2,349 in Vacaville, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $2,963 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 $46.00 versus $98.0 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 4% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.