Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacoma, WA: $3,015 a month against $3,631 in Puyallup, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Tacoma, WA
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Tacoma, WA Living Index
177

Cost of Living Index in Puyallup, WA
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Puyallup, WA Living Index

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Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Puyallup, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,631

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tacoma, WA and in Puyallup, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tacoma, WA and in Puyallup, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,015 in Tacoma, WA versus $3,631 in Puyallup, WA.

Tacoma, WA $3,015
Puyallup, WA $3,631

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,420 in Tacoma, WA versus $5,078 in Puyallup, WA.

Tacoma, WA $4,420
Puyallup, WA $5,078

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,826 in Tacoma, WA versus $6,524 in Puyallup, WA.

Tacoma, WA $5,826
Puyallup, WA $6,524

Living in Tacoma, WA costs roughly 17% less than in Puyallup, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tacoma, WA 123% above, Puyallup, WA 169% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.63 $24.63

$24.96 $24.96

-1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$78.6 $78.6

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.78 $14.78

-17.39%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$6.57 $6.57

-12.02%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.11 $3.11

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.10 $3.10

-15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$8.15 $8.15

-15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$8.19 $8.19

-12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.14 $1.14

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$4.48 $4.48

-6.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.05 $6.05

-1.32%

Eggs

$5.65 $5.65

$5.52 $5.52

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$18.30 $18.30

-12.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$16.94 $16.94

-5.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.20 $23.20

$23.17 $23.17

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.01 $6.01

-14.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.85 $1.85

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.17 $5.17

-19.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.27 $6.27

-25.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.44 $3.44

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.19 $3.19

-7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.70 $2.70

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.50 $2.50

30.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$11.97 $11.97

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 $18.45

$17.91 $17.91

3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 $1.71

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.06 $5.06

-5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$4.96 $4.96

-60.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 $62.2

$170 $170

-63.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.56 $2.56

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.72 $1.72

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.52 $30.52

$30.43 $30.43

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.40 $1.40

-0.71%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

2.18%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

1.24%

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

$231 $231

$280 $280

-17.58%

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

$93.0 $93.0

$90.4 $90.4

2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.6 $85.6

$87.7 $87.7

-2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 $42.69

$71.8 $71.8

-40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 $18.68

$19.96 $19.96

-6.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.26 $17.26

$17.09 $17.09

0.99%

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

$2,097 $2,097

$3,056 $3,056

-31.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

5.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$61.5 $61.5

-0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.05 $45.05

$44.51 $44.51

1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$127 $127

-32.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$165 $165

-23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 $1,722

$1,872 $1,872

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 $1,440

$1,764 $1,764

-18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,789 $2,789

$2,726 $2,726

2.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,387 $2,387

$2,533 $2,533

-5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,895 $4,895

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,574 $3,574

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,846 $4,846

$6,666 $6,666

-27.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.68

-0.60%

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

Last update for Tacoma, WA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Puyallup, WA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 47.8%

Puyallup, WA

$1.8K 48.6% 22.5% $324

Groceries & Markets

Tacoma, WA

$489 16.2%

Puyallup, WA

$517 14.2% 5.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tacoma, WA

$410 13.6%

Puyallup, WA

$459 12.6% 11.9% $49

Eating Out

Tacoma, WA

$375 12.4%

Puyallup, WA

$405 11.2% 8% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Tacoma, WA

$143 4.8%

Puyallup, WA

$179 4.9% 24.9% $36

Getting Around

Tacoma, WA

$81 2.7%

Puyallup, WA

$201 5.6% 149% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Tacoma, WA

$77 2.6%

Puyallup, WA

$106 2.9% 37.3% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,722 in Tacoma, WA and $1,872 in Puyallup, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 38% 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: $79.0 in Tacoma, WA vs $79.0 in Puyallup, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $517 per month, with Tacoma, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 Puyallup, WA

🕒 Local time

18:03 6:03 PM

Same time as Tacoma, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

219,346

42,973

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Tacoma, WA Puyallup, WA 13 km

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Tacoma, 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

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

Tacoma, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% 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, salaries run 38% 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: $1,722 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,872 in Puyallup, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $79.0 versus $79.0 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 $3,015 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 20% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.