Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacoma, WA and Puyallup, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacoma, WA and Puyallup, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,250 in Tacoma, WA versus $3,283 in Puyallup, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,578 in Tacoma, WA versus $4,355 in Puyallup, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,906 in Tacoma, WA versus $5,427 in Puyallup, WA.

Living in Tacoma, WA costs roughly 1% less than in Puyallup, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tacoma, WA 143% above, Puyallup, WA 145% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 $16.41

$24.75 $24.75

-33.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 $71.4

$72.2 $72.2

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 $12.60

$14.15 $14.15

-10.95%

Cappuccino

$6.15 $6.15

$6.22 $6.22

-1.13%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$3.00 $3.00

-4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.41 $2.41

-5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 $7.68

$7.58 $7.58

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.79 $11.79

$7.85 $7.85

50.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.13 $1.13

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.28 $4.28

-2.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.38 $8.38

$6.55 $6.55

27.94%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$5.18 $5.18

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$18.15 $18.15

-36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 $16.35

$16.40 $16.40

-0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$20.13 $20.13

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$5.06 $5.06

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.70 $1.70

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.93 $4.93

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.56 $6.56

-24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.21 $3.21

1.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.26 $3.26

-15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.81 $2.81

-31.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.57 $2.57

17.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$10.78 $10.78

2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 $18.19

$18.09 $18.09

0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.75 $1.75

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.37 $4.37

50.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.84 $2.84

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 $62.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.67 $2.67

-4.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.04 $2.04

-18.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.97 $29.97

$30.39 $30.39

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.19 $1.19

0.84%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$32.4K $32.4K

15.01%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.3K $26.3K

4.52%

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

$229 $229

$263 $263

-12.97%

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

$71.6 $71.6

$71.4 $71.4

0.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.8 $88.8

$74.8 $74.8

18.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 $51.0

$30.39 $30.39

67.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 $15.22

Cinema Ticket

$15.67 $15.67

$15.33 $15.33

2.22%

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

$2,072 $2,072

$2,063 $2,063

0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$29.2K $29.2K

8.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 $59.2

$59.6 $59.6

-0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$45.07 $45.07

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 $86.6

$91.5 $91.5

-5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$136 $136

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,793 $1,793

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$1,727 $1,727

1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,082 $3,082

$2,290 $2,290

34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 $2,812

$2,133 $2,133

31.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,885 $4,885

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 $3,558

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,853 $4,853

$6,927 $6,927

-29.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.42

1.40%

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

Last update for Tacoma, WA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Puyallup, WA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Tacoma, WA and $1,793 in Puyallup, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 43% 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: $71.0 in Tacoma, WA vs $72.0 in Puyallup, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 vs $498 per month, with Tacoma, WA cheaper across the board.

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

Tacoma, WA vs Puyallup, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacoma, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Puyallup, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tacoma, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Puyallup, WA earns 43% less. 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: $1,940 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,793 in Puyallup, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,072 in Tacoma, WA versus $2,063 in Puyallup, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacoma, WA – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $72.0 in Puyallup, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Tacoma, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacoma, WA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Tacoma, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.