Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Torrance, CA and Kent, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Kent, WA: $3,315 a month against $3,520 in Torrance, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Torrance, CA
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Torrance, CA Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Kent, WA
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Kent, WA Living Index

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Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,520

/mo nomad

Kent, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Torrance, CA and in Kent, WA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,520 in Torrance, CA versus $3,315 in Kent, WA.

Torrance, CA $3,520
Kent, WA $3,315

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,192 in Torrance, CA versus $4,993 in Kent, WA.

Torrance, CA $5,192
Kent, WA $4,993

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,864 in Torrance, CA versus $6,670 in Kent, WA.

Torrance, CA $6,864
Kent, WA $6,670

Living in Torrance, CA is roughly 6% more expensive than in Kent, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Torrance, CA 161% above, Kent, WA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 $24.76

$19.74 $19.74

25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$80.6 $80.6

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.75 $14.75

$13.78 $13.78

7.04%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$4.76 $4.76

-2.10%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$2.80 $2.80

34.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.09 $2.09

31.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$6.84 $6.84

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.79 $7.79

26.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.34 $1.34

-3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.00 $5.00

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.31 $3.31

47.73%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$6.65 $6.65

-32.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$15.02 $15.02

-22.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$14.14 $14.14

13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$22.82 $22.82

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.92 $5.92

-15.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.87 $1.87

24.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.90 $3.90

21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.23 $4.23

31.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.81 $2.81

8.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.72 $2.72

15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.54 $1.54

35.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.41 $2.41

8.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 $12.92

$12.35 $12.35

4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.23 $15.23

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.09 $2.09

17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.95 $1.95

56.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.03 $3.03

-34.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 $40.40

$62.0 $62.0

-34.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.62 $2.62

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.64 $1.64

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.67 $32.67

$30.40 $30.40

7.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.4K $36.4K

0.92%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.77%

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

$256 $256

$300 $300

-14.66%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$62.8 $62.8

-15.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$84.5 $84.5

-14.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 $59.3

$33.42 $33.42

77.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.36 $25.36

$17.01 $17.01

49.09%

Cinema Ticket

$19.95 $19.95

$17.33 $17.33

15.12%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$2,667 $2,667

-36.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$30.9K $30.9K

-51.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$39.50 $39.50

63.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 $63.7

$54.6 $54.6

16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$91.0 $91.0

17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 $192

$40.76 $40.76

371.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$2,075 $2,075

25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$1,828 $1,828

6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$4,023 $4,023

6.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,426 $3,426

$3,479 $3,479

-1.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,546 $7,546

$5,972 $5,972

26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,336 $6,336

$3,988 $3,988

58.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,675 $5,675

$4,592 $4,592

23.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.76

-5.47%

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

Last update for Torrance, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kent, WA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Torrance, CA

$1.9K 55.1%

Kent, WA

$1.8K 55.2% 5.8% $112

Groceries & Markets

Torrance, CA

$461 13.1%

Kent, WA

$459 13.8% 0.6% $2.6

Eating Out

Torrance, CA

$384 10.9%

Kent, WA

$326 9.8% 15.3% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Torrance, CA

$381 10.8%

Kent, WA

$447 13.5% 17.2% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Torrance, CA

$192 5.5%

Kent, WA

$102 3.1% 47.1% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Torrance, CA

$99 2.8%

Kent, WA

$68 2.1% 31.4% $31

Getting Around

Torrance, CA

$61 1.7%

Kent, WA

$85 2.6% 40.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,612 in Torrance, CA and $2,075 in Kent, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torrance, CA pays 24% 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 Torrance, CA vs $81.0 in Kent, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $461 vs $459, with Kent, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 Kent, WA

🕒 Local time

16:25 4:25 PM

Same time as Torrance, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,350

136,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Torrance, CA Kent, WA 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Torrance, CA
Kent, WA

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

Torrance, CA vs Kent, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kent, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Torrance, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kent, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Torrance, CA, 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: $2,612 in Torrance, CA versus $2,075 in Kent, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kent, WA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $79.0 in Torrance, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,520 per month in Torrance, CA versus $3,315 in Kent, WA – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kent, 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 Kent, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,315 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kent, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Torrance, CA and Kent, WA 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 Kent, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Torrance, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.