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: $3,293 in Tacoma, WA versus $3,293 in Puyallup, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,590 in Tacoma, WA versus $4,341 in Puyallup, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,888 in Tacoma, WA versus $5,388 in Puyallup, WA.

Monthly costs are close between Tacoma, WA and Puyallup, WA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tacoma, WA 146% above, Puyallup, WA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.56 $16.56

$24.86 $24.86

-33.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$71.1 $71.1

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$13.80 $13.80

-8.19%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$6.16 $6.16

-2.11%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.89 $2.89

2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.51 $2.51

-11.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 $7.57

$7.66 $7.66

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$7.82 $7.82

53.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.16 $1.16

-4.31%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.31 $4.31

-1.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.30 $8.30

$6.50 $6.50

27.69%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.29 $5.29

-7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$17.88 $17.88

-36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.12 $16.12

$15.91 $15.91

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.23 $19.23

$20.25 $20.25

-5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$5.22 $5.22

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.70 $1.70

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.13 $5.13

-4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.19 $6.19

-17.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.11 $3.11

4.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.33 $3.33

-15.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.71 $2.71

-27.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.54 $2.54

15.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 $10.88

$10.87 $10.87

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.24 $18.24

$17.86 $17.86

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.76 $1.76

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 $6.51

$4.21 $4.21

54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.92 $2.92

-12.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.65 $2.65

-1.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.03 $2.03

-19.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$30.04 $30.04

-1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.20 $1.20

0.83%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$32.8K $32.8K

13.40%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

5.70%

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

$227 $227

$264 $264

-13.81%

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

$71.5 $71.5

$71.1 $71.1

0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 $87.3

$75.0 $75.0

16.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 $50.8

$29.60 $29.60

71.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$15.71 $15.71

0.45%

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

$2,069 $2,069

$2,080 $2,080

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.9K $28.9K

10.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 $58.1

$59.7 $59.7

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 $45.22

$44.04 $44.04

2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$93.2 $93.2

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$135 $135

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 $1,925

$1,784 $1,784

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 $1,749

$1,746 $1,746

0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,109 $3,109

$2,288 $2,288

35.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 $2,749

$2,080 $2,080

32.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,758 $4,758

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,519 $3,519

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,884 $4,884

$6,769 $6,769

-27.86%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Puyallup, WA: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,925 in Tacoma, WA and $1,784 in Puyallup, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Tacoma, WA vs $71.0 in Puyallup, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 vs $494 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

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Puyallup, WA. 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: $1,925 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,784 in Puyallup, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Puyallup, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacoma, WA – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $71.0 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 $3,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacoma, WA hard to pass up.

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