Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and West Hollywood, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in West Hollywood, CA: $3,194 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in West Hollywood, CA
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West Hollywood, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

West Hollywood, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,194

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $3,194 in West Hollywood, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,800
West Hollywood, CA $3,194

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $5,191 in West Hollywood, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,702
West Hollywood, CA $5,191

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $7,189 in West Hollywood, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,603
West Hollywood, CA $7,189

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than in West Hollywood, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, West Hollywood, CA 137% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$25.18 $25.18

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$100 $100

1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.99 $14.99

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$6.00 $6.00

9.83%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.04 $3.04

5.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.40 $2.40

30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$7.14 $7.14

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$10.16 $10.16

-20.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.33 $1.33

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.88 $4.88

4.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.69 $4.69

34.33%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$5.62 $5.62

-12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$11.65 $11.65

63.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$8.54 $8.54

116.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$19.76 $19.76

16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.61 $4.61

26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.22 $2.22

-12.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.93 $3.93

34.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.55 $5.55

16.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.42 $3.42

4.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.92 $2.92

7.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.92 $1.92

48.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.51 $2.51

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$11.58 $11.58

10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.74 $14.74

1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.52 $2.52

65.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.77 $2.77

116.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.02 $3.02

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.89 $1.89

-13.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$32.14 $32.14

-7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.55 $1.55

-8.39%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.6K $36.6K

-2.25%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.80%

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

$299 $299

$221 $221

35.18%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$76.3 $76.3

-7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$71.7 $71.7

23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$19.46 $19.46

-12.02%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,167 $1,167

158.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$32.0K $32.0K

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$63.2 $63.2

22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$48.36 $48.36

13.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$106 $106

18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$105 $105

55.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,992 $2,992

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,810 $1,810

8.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$5,949 $5,949

-20.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$4,046 $4,046

-12.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,007 $1,007

629.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$6,575 $6,575

-4.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.31

8.56%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for West Hollywood, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

West Hollywood, CA

$1.8K 56.7% 7.5% $146

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

West Hollywood, CA

$422 13.2% 22.1% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

West Hollywood, CA

$369 11.6% 19.4% $89

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

West Hollywood, CA

$396 12.4% 3% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

West Hollywood, CA

$145 4.5% 23.4% $44

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

West Hollywood, CA

$12 * 0.4% 90.6% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

West Hollywood, CA

$39 * 1.2% 65.8% $75

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 $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $2,992 in West Hollywood, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West Hollywood, CA pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $100 in West Hollywood, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $422 per month, with West Hollywood, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 West Hollywood, CA

🕒 Local time

00:40 12:40 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

34,399

💱 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 West Hollywood, CA 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

West Hollywood, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in West Hollywood, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $2,992 in West Hollywood, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,013 in Seattle, WA versus $1,167 in West Hollywood, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in West Hollywood, CA – a meal for two runs $100 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. West Hollywood, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, West Hollywood, 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 West Hollywood, 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 West Hollywood, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.