Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ventura, CA: $3,426 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Ventura, CA
Learn more

Ventura, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Ventura, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,426 in Ventura, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Ventura, CA $3,426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,733 in Ventura, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Ventura, CA $4,733

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $6,041 in Ventura, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Ventura, CA $6,041

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 10% more expensive than in Ventura, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Ventura, CA 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.54 $24.54

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$68.9 $68.9

46.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.69 $11.69

26.26%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.63 $5.63

15.45%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.83 $2.83

13.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.95 $1.95

61.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.81 $6.81

17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.23 $9.23

-11.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.19 $1.19

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.90 $5.90

-10.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.15 $2.15

197.67%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.99 $4.99

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$8.61 $8.61

117.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.99 $8.99

108.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.17 $14.17

61.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.32 $3.32

82.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.50 $1.50

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.22 $3.22

71.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.50 $4.50

44.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.21 $2.21

57.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.57 $3.57

-7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.02 $2.02

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.20 $2.20

17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.73 $10.73

16.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.62 $14.62

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.69 $1.69

147.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.68 $2.68

116.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$57.6 $57.6

84.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.39 $4.39

-41.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.88 $1.88

-12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$35.57 $35.57

-15.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.48 $1.48

-4.73%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

33.00%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.82%

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

$308 $308

$148 $148

107.96%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$57.4 $57.4

20.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$71.0 $71.0

21.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$35.49 $35.49

115.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$19.86 $19.86

78.75%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.87 $11.87

51.81%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,109 $1,109

147.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$43.3K $43.3K

-29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$50.4 $50.4

57.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$29.68 $29.68

82.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$66.0 $66.0

92.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$85.4 $85.4

86.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,668 $2,668

-6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,171 $2,171

-10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,691 $3,691

38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,239 $3,239

9.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$6,859 $6,859

7.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$5,677 $5,677

-11.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,831 $4,831

33.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.44

6.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ventura, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Ventura, CA

$2.2K 63.4% 12% $233

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Ventura, CA

$365 10.7% 33.3% $182

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Ventura, CA

$276 8.1% 40.3% $187

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Ventura, CA

$371 10.8% 8.8% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Ventura, CA

$104 3% 44.8% $84

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ventura, CA

$79 2.3% 38.6% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Ventura, CA

$59 1.7% 47.3% $53

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,668 in Ventura, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 34% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $69 in Ventura, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $365 per month, with Ventura, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ventura, CA

🕒 Local time

06:01 6:01 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

104,423

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Ventura, CA 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Ventura, CA is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,668 in Ventura, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ventura, CA – a meal for two runs $69 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,426 in Ventura, CA – Ventura, CA is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

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.

It comes down to priorities – Ventura, CA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.