Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anacortes, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Anacortes, WA: $2,527 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Anacortes, WA
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Anacortes, WA Living Index
184

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

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Anacortes, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,527

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,527 in Anacortes, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Anacortes, WA $2,527
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,761 in Anacortes, WA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Anacortes, WA $3,761
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,995 in Anacortes, WA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Anacortes, WA $4,995
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Anacortes, WA costs roughly 33% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Anacortes, WA 86% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$25.30 $25.30

-29.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$101 $101

-16.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.55 $13.55

$14.76 $14.76

-8.20%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$6.50 $6.50

-22.46%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$3.21 $3.21

-28.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.14 $3.14

-35.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$7.97 $7.97

-31.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$8.13 $8.13

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.30 $5.30

-6.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$6.40 $6.40

-72.66%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$5.06 $5.06

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$18.71 $18.71

-39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$18.72 $18.72

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$22.88 $22.88

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.06 $6.06

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.95 $1.95

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$5.51 $5.51

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$6.52 $6.52

-15.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$3.49 $3.49

-60.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.29 $3.29

-3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.80 $2.80

-45.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.58 $2.58

-9.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.51 $12.51

$12.49 $12.49

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$14.87 $14.87

-4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$4.19 $4.19

-31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$5.80 $5.80

-27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.05 $3.05

70.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.95 $21.95

$106 $106

-79.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.58 $2.58

0.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.64 $1.64

1.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.26 $30.26

$30.12 $30.12

0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.41 $1.41

-7.80%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-0.44%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.45%

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

$167 $167

$308 $308

-45.59%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$69.2 $69.2

-24.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$86.1 $86.1

-11.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$76.5 $76.5

-34.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$16.98 $16.98

$18.02 $18.02

-5.77%

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

$2,161 $2,161

$2,746 $2,746

-21.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.9K $30.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$79.2 $79.2

-30.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.96 $26.96

$54.3 $54.3

-50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$127 $127

-24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$159 $159

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 $1,760

$2,508 $2,508

-29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$1,938 $1,938

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,958 $2,958

$5,117 $5,117

-42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 $1,982

$3,542 $3,542

-44.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,625 $2,625

$7,374 $7,374

-64.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,417 $2,417

$5,002 $5,002

-51.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,130 $7,130

$6,470 $6,470

10.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

6.89

-17.71%

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

Last update for Anacortes, WA: 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

Anacortes, WA

$1.2K 47.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 61.2% $736

Groceries & Markets

Anacortes, WA

$437 17.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 25.2% $110

Eating Out

Anacortes, WA

$301 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 35.2% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anacortes, WA

$295 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 56.8% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Anacortes, WA

$154 6.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 22.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Anacortes, WA

$84 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 33.6% $28

Getting Around

Anacortes, WA

$54 2.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 141% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,760 in Anacortes, WA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anacortes, WA pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Anacortes, WA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $547 per month, with Anacortes, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anacortes, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:05 8:05 AM

Same time as Anacortes, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,637

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Anacortes, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Anacortes, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Anacortes, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,760 in Anacortes, WA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anacortes, WA – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,527 per month in Anacortes, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Anacortes, WA 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 Anacortes, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.