Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany, OR and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Albany, OR: $2,968 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Albany, OR
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Albany, OR Living Index
184

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

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Albany, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,968

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albany, OR 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 Albany, OR and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,968 in Albany, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Albany, OR $2,968
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,301 in Albany, OR versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Albany, OR $4,301
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,633 in Albany, OR versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Albany, OR $5,633
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Albany, OR costs roughly 22% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albany, OR 118% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$25.30 $25.30

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 $89.4

$101 $101

-11.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$14.76 $14.76

-10.57%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$6.50 $6.50

-9.54%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$3.21 $3.21

-24.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.14 $3.14

-38.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$7.97 $7.97

3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.13 $8.13

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.17 $1.17

-20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.30 $5.30

-38.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$6.40 $6.40

-69.06%

Eggs

$3.43 $3.43

$5.06 $5.06

-32.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$18.71 $18.71

-59.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$18.72 $18.72

-0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.49 $27.49

$22.88 $22.88

20.15%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$6.06 $6.06

10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.95 $1.95

3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.51 $5.51

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.78 $8.78

$6.52 $6.52

34.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.49 $3.49

-20.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.29 $3.29

-30.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.80 $2.80

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.58 $2.58

1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 $11.51

$12.49 $12.49

-7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$14.87 $14.87

5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.19 $4.19

-16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 $5.33

$5.80 $5.80

-8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.05 $3.05

-39.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 $66.6

$106 $106

-37.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.58 $2.58

95.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.64 $1.64

13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.47 $24.47

$30.12 $30.12

-18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.41 $1.41

-9.22%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-7.19%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.00%

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

$313 $313

$308 $308

1.65%

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

$62.7 $62.7

$69.2 $69.2

-9.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$86.1 $86.1

-20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$76.5 $76.5

-48.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 $14.81

$18.02 $18.02

-17.81%

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

$1,662 $1,662

$2,746 $2,746

-39.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-19.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$79.2 $79.2

-18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 $41.63

$54.3 $54.3

-23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$127 $127

-11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$159 $159

-17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 $1,539

$2,508 $2,508

-38.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$1,938 $1,938

-31.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,567 $2,567

$5,117 $5,117

-49.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 $2,091

$3,542 $3,542

-40.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,046 $3,046

$7,374 $7,374

-58.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,024 $3,024

$5,002 $5,002

-39.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,437 $4,437

$6,470 $6,470

-31.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.89

-7.84%

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

Last update for Albany, OR: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Albany, OR

$1.3K 44.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 45.6% $607

Groceries & Markets

Albany, OR

$491 16.6%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 11.3% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Albany, OR

$444 15%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 4.3% $19

Eating Out

Albany, OR

$386 13%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 5.1% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Albany, OR

$158 5.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 19.5% $31

Getting Around

Albany, OR

$88 3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 46.1% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Albany, OR

$69 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 62.6% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,539 in Albany, OR and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Albany, OR vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $491 vs $547 per month, with Albany, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Albany, OR

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:39 10:39 AM

Same time as Albany, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

99,224

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Albany, OR Seattle, WA 340 km

From you

Albany, OR
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

Albany, OR vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albany, OR wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Albany, OR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Albany, OR. 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: $1,539 in Albany, OR versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,662 in Albany, OR versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Albany, OR is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Albany, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.