Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Alton, IL: $1,910 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Alton, IL
Learn more

Alton, IL Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Alton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,910

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,910 per month in Alton, IL vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Alton, IL $1,910
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Alton, IL vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Alton, IL $2,881
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $3,852 per month in Alton, IL vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Alton, IL $3,852
Seattle, WA $7,592

Alton, IL is about 50% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Alton, IL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Alton, IL by 40%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.04 $21.04

$25.30 $25.30

-16.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 $55.0

$101 $101

-45.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$14.76 $14.76

-26.63%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$6.50 $6.50

-24.62%

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

$1.46 $1.46

$3.21 $3.21

-54.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.14 $3.14

-44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 $4.12

$7.97 $7.97

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$8.13 $8.13

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.17 $1.17

-35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$5.30 $5.30

-52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$6.40 $6.40

-50.47%

Eggs

$3.19 $3.19

$5.06 $5.06

-36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$18.71 $18.71

-49.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$18.72 $18.72

-64.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.15 $24.15

$22.88 $22.88

5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$6.06 $6.06

-26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.95 $1.95

-36.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$5.51 $5.51

-6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$6.52 $6.52

-24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.49 $3.49

-38.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.29 $3.29

-13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.80 $2.80

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.58 $2.58

-17.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$12.49 $12.49

-12.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$14.87 $14.87

-18.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$4.19 $4.19

-56.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$5.80 $5.80

-54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.58 $2.58

14.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.64 $1.64

1.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.64%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.03%

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

$338 $338

$308 $308

10.02%

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

$44.08 $44.08

$69.2 $69.2

-36.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$86.1 $86.1

-11.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.65 $27.65

$76.5 $76.5

-63.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$18.02 $18.02

-32.57%

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

$280 $280

$2,746 $2,746

-89.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.41 $39.41

$79.2 $79.2

-50.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.27 $42.27

$54.3 $54.3

-22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 $65.2

$127 $127

-48.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 $74.8

$159 $159

-52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 $740

$2,508 $2,508

-70.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 $631

$1,938 $1,938

-67.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 $1,107

$5,117 $5,117

-78.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$3,542 $3,542

-63.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,534 $1,534

$7,374 $7,374

-79.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,426 $1,426

$5,002 $5,002

-71.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,767 $3,767

$6,470 $6,470

-41.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

-12.92%

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

Last update for Alton, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Alton, IL

$631 33%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 207% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alton, IL

$459 24%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 0.8% $3.9

Groceries & Markets

Alton, IL

$352 18.4%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 55.3% $195

Eating Out

Alton, IL

$305 16%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 33.2% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Alton, IL

$100 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 89.1% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Alton, IL

$52 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 117% $61

Getting Around

Alton, IL

$11 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1041% $118

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Alton, IL versus $2,508 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 72% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Alton, IL versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $547 – making Alton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Alton, IL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

23:33 11:33 PM

21:33 9:33 PM

2 h behind Alton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,676

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Alton, IL Seattle, WA 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Alton, IL
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

Alton, IL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 98% more than Alton, IL, 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 $2,865 per month in Alton, IL and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alton, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $740 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,910 in Alton, IL and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Alton, IL about 50% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Alton, IL and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Alton, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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