Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
184

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

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,767 in Amherst, MA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Amherst, MA $2,767
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Amherst, MA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Amherst, MA $4,275
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,783 in Amherst, MA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Amherst, MA $5,783
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Amherst, MA costs roughly 27% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 103% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$25.30 $25.30

-20.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$101 $101

-29.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 $8.90

$14.76 $14.76

-39.70%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$6.50 $6.50

-26.31%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$3.21 $3.21

-16.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.14 $3.14

-34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.97 $7.97

-25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 $10.41

$8.13 $8.13

28.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.17 $1.17

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.30 $5.30

-39.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$6.40 $6.40

9.37%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$5.06 $5.06

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$18.71 $18.71

-11.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$18.72 $18.72

-15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$22.88 $22.88

-20.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$6.06 $6.06

-22.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.95 $1.95

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.51 $5.51

-41.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$6.52 $6.52

-29.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.49 $3.49

-6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.29 $3.29

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.80 $2.80

-17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.58 $2.58

-21.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$12.49 $12.49

-14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.87 $14.87

-18.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.19 $4.19

-52.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.80 $5.80

-32.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$3.05 $3.05

-57.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.34 $28.34

$106 $106

-73.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.58 $2.58

37.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 $1.64

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 $29.78

$30.12 $30.12

-1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.19%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.84%

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

$213 $213

$308 $308

-30.78%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$69.2 $69.2

-18.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 $87.9

$86.1 $86.1

2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$76.5 $76.5

58.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.90 $6.90

$35.50 $35.50

-80.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 $10.65

$18.02 $18.02

-40.90%

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

$1,466 $1,466

$2,746 $2,746

-46.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

-43.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 $45.22

$79.2 $79.2

-42.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 $40.24

$54.3 $54.3

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$127 $127

-27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$159 $159

-31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$2,508 $2,508

-27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,938 $1,938

-30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,829 $3,829

$5,117 $5,117

-25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$3,542 $3,542

-23.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,969 $3,969

$7,374 $7,374

-46.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,035 $4,035

$5,002 $5,002

-19.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,660 $4,660

$6,470 $6,470

-27.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.89

-11.47%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: 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

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 44% $592

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 26.1% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 29.5% $105

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 29.2% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 21.1% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 46.3% $60

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 192% $85

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Amherst, MA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Amherst, MA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $547 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

14:52 2:52 PM

3 h behind Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Seattle, WA 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
Seattle, WA

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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

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

Amherst, MA is about 27% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Amherst, MA. 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: $1,821 in Amherst, MA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,466 in Amherst, MA 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 26% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA 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 Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.