Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, NY: $2,595 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
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Amherst, NY Living Index
185

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

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Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,595

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,595 per month in Amherst, NY vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Amherst, NY $2,595
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,768 per month in Amherst, NY vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Amherst, NY $3,768
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,940 per month in Amherst, NY vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Amherst, NY $4,940
Seattle, WA $7,603

Amherst, NY is about 32% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amherst, NY and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Amherst, NY by 92%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 $18.34

$25.32 $25.32

-27.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$101 $101

-25.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.85 $14.85

-17.78%

Cappuccino

$5.97 $5.97

$6.59 $6.59

-9.41%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.22 $3.22

-18.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.14 $3.14

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.18 $8.18

-13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 $7.67

$8.03 $8.03

-4.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.21 $1.21

-20.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.12 $5.12

-35.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$6.30 $6.30

-30.95%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$4.90 $4.90

-16.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$19.10 $19.10

-41.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$18.50 $18.50

-45.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$23.03 $23.03

-30.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.81 $5.81

-15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.95 $1.95

-29.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$5.29 $5.29

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$6.48 $6.48

-19.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.57 $3.57

-24.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.15 $3.15

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.85 $2.85

-15.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.42 $2.42

-0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.28 $14.28

$12.75 $12.75

12.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.99 $14.99

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.17 $4.17

-50.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.99 $5.99

-31.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.04 $3.04

-32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.55 $2.55

47.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.64 $1.64

32.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.49 $30.49

$29.58 $29.58

3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.42 $1.42

-21.83%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

-2.60%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.88%

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

$230 $230

$299 $299

-22.98%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$70.8 $70.8

-27.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$88.3 $88.3

-23.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.68 $40.68

$79.5 $79.5

-48.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 $19.95

$35.37 $35.37

-43.60%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 $12.96

$17.12 $17.12

-24.30%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$3,013 $3,013

-50.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K $17.8K

$31.6K $31.6K

-43.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$77.2 $77.2

-31.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.32 $44.32

$55.1 $55.1

-19.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$126 $126

-22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$163 $163

-29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$2,464 $2,464

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 $1,306

$1,956 $1,956

-33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 $2,483

$4,711 $4,711

-47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 $2,117

$3,550 $3,550

-40.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,696 $2,696

$7,346 $7,346

-63.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,376 $2,376

$5,048 $5,048

-52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,054 $4,054

$6,286 $6,286

-35.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.85

-4.82%

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

Last update for Amherst, NY: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, NY

$1.3K 50.3%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 49.7% $650

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, NY

$387 14.9%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 39.9% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, NY

$349 13.5%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 31.2% $109

Eating Out

Amherst, NY

$324 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 25.9% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, NY

$139 5.4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 36.2% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, NY

$67 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 70.8% $47

Getting Around

Amherst, NY

$23 * 0.9%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 483% $110

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,601 in Amherst, NY 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 55% 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 $76.0 in Amherst, NY versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $542 – making Amherst, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

22:01 10:01 PM

3 h behind Amherst, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Amherst, NY Seattle, WA 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, NY
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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Amherst, NY, 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 $3,893 per month in Amherst, NY 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 Amherst, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Amherst, NY and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,595 in Amherst, NY 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. Amherst, NY costs $2,595 versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Amherst, NY. 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.