Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Westminster, CA: $2,605 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Westminster, CA
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Westminster, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Westminster, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,605 in Westminster, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Westminster, CA $2,605

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,759 in Westminster, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Westminster, CA $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,914 in Westminster, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Westminster, CA $4,914

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 45% more expensive than in Westminster, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Westminster, CA 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.02 $25.02

1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.7 $76.7

31.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.63 $11.63

26.91%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.59 $5.59

16.28%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.74 $2.74

17.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.03 $2.03

54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.41 $7.41

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.52 $9.52

-14.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.15 $1.15

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.31 $5.31

-0.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.39 $4.39

45.79%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.04 $5.04

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.29 $12.29

52.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.99 $8.99

108.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.77 $13.77

66.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.84 $4.84

25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.79 $1.79

8.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.06 $4.06

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.67 $5.67

14.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.67 $3.67

-4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.06 $3.06

7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.06 $2.06

35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.20 $2.20

17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.99 $11.99

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.76 $14.76

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.74 $1.74

140.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.13 $3.13

85.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.10 $2.10

45.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$57.0 $57.0

85.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.44 $4.44

-41.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.83 $1.83

-10.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$36.13 $36.13

-16.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.59 $1.59

-11.32%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

31.06%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

0.13%

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

$308 $308

$215 $215

43.18%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$71.0 $71.0

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$69.8 $69.8

23.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$38.50 $38.50

98.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.93 $11.93

51.05%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,173 $1,173

134.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$42.8K $42.8K

-28.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$74.4 $74.4

6.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$48.05 $48.05

13.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$106 $106

19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$102 $102

56.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,380 $1,380

81.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,181 $1,181

64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,858 $2,858

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,799 $1,799

96.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,548 $2,548

189.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,259 $2,259

121.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,454 $4,454

45.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.31

9.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Westminster, 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%

Westminster, CA

$1.2K 45.4% 39.1% $757

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Westminster, CA

$401 15.4% 26.6% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Westminster, CA

$356 13.7% 23.2% $107

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Westminster, CA

$377 14.5% 7.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Westminster, CA

$149 5.7% 21.2% $40

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Westminster, CA

$79 3% 38.7% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Westminster, CA

$62 2.4% 44.6% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,380 in Westminster, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 45% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $77 in Westminster, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $401 per month, with Westminster, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Westminster, CA

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

110,945

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Westminster, CA 1,580 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Westminster, CA

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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 Westminster, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Westminster, CA is about 31% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% 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 $1,380 in Westminster, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Westminster, CA – a meal for two runs $77 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 $2,605 in Westminster, CA – Westminster, CA is about 31% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,605 in Westminster, CA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Westminster, CA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Westminster, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Westminster, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.