San Mateo, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Seattle, WA has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than San Mateo, CA.

San Mateo, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $4,480 / month
Seattle, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,630 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare San Mateo, CA and Seattle, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in San Mateo, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,009/month in Seattle, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $162,112 in Seattle, WA

Regional cost estimates: San Mateo, CA uses Oakland, CA. Seattle, WA uses Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,009

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$12.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

San Mateo, CA

Population:101K

Cost Index:

159.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$2.02M

Seattle, WA

Population:749K

Cost Index:

172.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$808K

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San Mateo, CA

The Golden State

101K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 101K residents.

Seattle, WA

The Evergreen State

749K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Climate

Oceanic

Notable Facts

•Coffee culture birthplace
•Major tech center
•Pacific Northwest gateway

Major Industries

TechnologyAerospaceMaritime TradeCoffee Industry

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: San Mateo, CA vs Seattle, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	San Mateo, CA	Seattle, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,687/mo	$4,649/mo	↑ $962more	26.1%
Transportation	$1,289/mo	$1,171/mo	↓ $118less	9.1%
Other	$1,120/mo	$1,219/mo	↑ $98.87more	8.8%
Healthcare	$429/mo	$508/mo	↑ $79.63more	18.6%
Groceries	$704/mo	$666/mo	↓ $37.81less	5.4%
All Utilities	$272/mo	$297/mo	↑ $24.67more	9.1%

Housing

↑ 26.1%

San Mateo, CA

$3,687

Seattle, WA

$4,649

Difference

$962

Transportation

↓ 9.1%

San Mateo, CA

$1,289

Seattle, WA

$1,171

Difference

$118

less

Other

↑ 8.8%

San Mateo, CA

$1,120

Seattle, WA

$1,219

Difference

$98.87

Healthcare

↑ 18.6%

San Mateo, CA

$429

Seattle, WA

$508

Difference

$79.63

Groceries

↓ 5.4%

San Mateo, CA

$704

Seattle, WA

$666

Difference

$37.81

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.1%

San Mateo, CA

$272

Seattle, WA

$297

Difference

$24.67

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$3,090

To$2,180

↓ $910

1 Bed

From$3,700

To$2,260

↓ $1,440

2 Bed

From$4,480

To$2,630

↓ $1,850

3 Bed

From$5,720

To$3,440

↓ $2,280

San Mateo, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,670–$3,730/mo

Seattle, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,900–$3,210/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in San Mateo, CA

$8,509

Monthly in Seattle, WA

$1,009

Difference

Home Values

San Mateo

Seattle

$2.02M

Median Value

$808K

↑ +1.8%

YoY Change

↓ -2.5%

↑ +21%

5-Year Change

↑ +12.5%

$1.73M - $2.32M

Price Range

$433K - $1.34M

Homes in Seattle are 60% less expensive than San Mateo

Calculate payment - San Mateo Calculate payment - Seattle

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $10.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$886

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

7.1%

Rate difference

San Mateo, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Seattle, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

San Mateo, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Seattle, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

San Mateo, CA: No data yet

Seattle, WA

50/100

2.3% sidewalk tags · 3.3% cycling tags

Environment

San Mateo

Seattle

49 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

53%

Good Air Days

69.7%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

Before moving from San Mateo, CA to Seattle, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Seattle, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in San Mateo, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your San Mateo to Seattle moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Seattle, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: San Mateo, CA vs Seattle, WA

How do the cost estimates for San Mateo, CA and Seattle, WA compare?

Seattle, WA has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than San Mateo, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in San Mateo, CA, the model estimates $162,112 in Seattle, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for San Mateo, CA and Seattle, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $4,480/month in San Mateo, CA and $2,630/month in Seattle, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between California and Washington on TaxTakeHome.com