Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Walnut, CA: $2,568 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Walnut, CA
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Walnut, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Walnut, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,568 in Walnut, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Walnut, CA $2,568

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,821 in Walnut, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Walnut, CA $3,821

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,075 in Walnut, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Walnut, CA $5,075

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Walnut, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Walnut, CA 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.90 $19.90

23.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$81.0 $81.0

21.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.14 $15.14

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.25 $6.25

4.32%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.44 $3.44

-6.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.37 $2.37

33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.30 $7.30

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.27 $9.27

-13.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.08 $1.08

12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.99 $3.99

28.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.84 $4.84

25.00%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.77 $4.77

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.93 $12.93

48.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$19.85 $19.85

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$15.69 $15.69

48.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.06 $5.06

18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.67 $1.67

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.59 $5.59

-6.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.87 $5.87

11.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.74 $3.74

-3.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.30 $2.30

43.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.97 $1.97

41.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.86 $1.86

34.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.63 $11.63

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.19 $15.19

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.00 $2.00

111.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.15 $4.15

39.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.98 $1.98

48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$61.2 $61.2

73.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$6.29 $6.29

-57.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.69 $1.69

1.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$32.00 $32.00

-7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.56 $1.56

-4.49%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.6K $28.6K

25.50%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.15%

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

$302 $302

$165 $165

82.67%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$66.3 $66.3

5.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$58.2 $58.2

46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.06 $42.06

85.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.15 $15.15

17.76%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,872 $1,872

58.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$20.4K $20.4K

53.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.4 $57.4

33.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.76 $39.76

35.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$93.4 $93.4

37.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$146 $146

12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,540 $1,540

58.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,157 $1,157

68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,747 $2,747

72.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,897 $1,897

82.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,014 $3,014

144.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,422 $2,422

111.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.39

7.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Walnut, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Walnut, CA

$1.2K 45.1% 40.6% $790

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Walnut, CA

$456 17.8% 16.4% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Walnut, CA

$290 11.3% 36.6% $167

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Walnut, CA

$358 13.9% 10.4% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Walnut, CA

$151 5.9% 20.5% $39

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Walnut, CA

$84 3.3% 35.2% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Walnut, CA

$72 2.8% 36.3% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,540 in Walnut, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in Walnut, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $456 per month, with Walnut, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Walnut, CA

🕒 Local time

14:03 2:03 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

31,294

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Walnut, CA 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Walnut, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,673 in Seattle, WA and $3,852 in Walnut, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,540 in Walnut, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Walnut, CA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,568 in Walnut, CA – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Walnut, 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 Walnut, 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 Walnut, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.