Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Acton, MA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Acton, MA: $3,193 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

154

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,193

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Acton, MA and in Seattle, WA

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

A single person spends $3,193 per month in Acton, MA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Acton, MA $3,193
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,790 per month in Acton, MA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Acton, MA $4,790
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $6,388 per month in Acton, MA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Acton, MA $6,388
Seattle, WA $7,603

Acton, MA is about 16% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Acton, MA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Acton, MA by 136%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 $18.14

$25.32 $25.32

-28.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$101 $101

-5.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 $13.47

$14.85 $14.85

-9.29%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$6.59 $6.59

-17.45%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.22 $3.22

-12.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.14 $3.14

-14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$8.18 $8.18

-37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.03 $8.03

-2.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.21 $1.21

-21.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 $2.29

$5.12 $5.12

-55.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$6.30 $6.30

-16.19%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$4.90 $4.90

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$19.10 $19.10

-41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$18.50 $18.50

-21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 $17.87

$23.03 $23.03

-22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.81 $5.81

-23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.95 $1.95

-11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$5.29 $5.29

-46.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$6.48 $6.48

-37.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.57 $3.57

-45.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.15 $3.15

-10.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.85 $2.85

-32.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 $13.62

$12.75 $12.75

6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$14.99 $14.99

-39.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$4.17 $4.17

-47.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.99 $5.99

-28.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.42 $1.42

-34.51%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

2.77%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.01%

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

$316 $316

$299 $299

5.72%

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

$60.8 $60.8

$70.8 $70.8

-14.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$88.3 $88.3

-16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.68 $24.68

$79.5 $79.5

-68.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$17.12 $17.12

-24.59%

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

$1,857 $1,857

$3,013 $3,013

-38.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$31.6K $31.6K

-5.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$77.2 $77.2

-25.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 $38.97

$55.1 $55.1

-29.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$126 $126

-35.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$163 $163

-37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 $2,698

$2,464 $2,464

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 $1,898

$1,956 $1,956

-2.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,948 $2,948

$4,711 $4,711

-37.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,557 $3,557

$3,550 $3,550

0.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,016 $9,016

$6,286 $6,286

43.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.85

-3.07%

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

Last update for Acton, MA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.5%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 3% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Acton, MA

$450 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 1.7% $7.9

Groceries & Markets

Acton, MA

$354 * 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 53.1% $188

Eating Out

Acton, MA

$314 9.8%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 30.2% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Acton, MA

$126 3.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 50.7% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Acton, MA

$51 1.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 125% $63

Getting Around

Acton, MA

- * 0%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,698 in Acton, MA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Acton, MA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Acton, MA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $542 – making Acton, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

07:05 7:05 AM

3 h behind Acton, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,596

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Acton, MA Seattle, WA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Acton, MA
Seattle, 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

Acton, MA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 19% more than Acton, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,789 per month in Acton, MA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acton, MA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,193 in Acton, MA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 19%.

Kindergarten costs $1,857 per month in Acton, MA and $3,013 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,193 in Acton, MA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acton, MA costs $3,193 versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acton, MA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.