Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Apple Valley, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Apple Valley, MN: $2,529 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Apple Valley, MN
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Apple Valley, MN Living Index
185

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

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Apple Valley, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,529

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,529 per month in Apple Valley, MN vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Apple Valley, MN $2,529
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,697 per month in Apple Valley, MN vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Apple Valley, MN $3,697
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,864 per month in Apple Valley, MN vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Apple Valley, MN $4,864
Seattle, WA $7,603

Apple Valley, MN is about 33% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Apple Valley, MN and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Apple Valley, MN by 87%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$25.32 $25.32

-19.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$101 $101

-27.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 $11.15

$14.85 $14.85

-24.92%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$6.59 $6.59

-6.53%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$3.22 $3.22

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.14 $3.14

-25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$8.18 $8.18

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.03 $8.03

1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.21 $1.21

-24.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$5.12 $5.12

-38.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$6.30 $6.30

-40.95%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$4.90 $4.90

-24.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$19.10 $19.10

-45.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$18.50 $18.50

-34.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 $18.87

$23.03 $23.03

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$5.81 $5.81

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.95 $1.95

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.29 $5.29

-14.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$6.48 $6.48

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.57 $3.57

-36.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.15 $3.15

20.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.85 $2.85

-18.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.42 $2.42

9.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$12.75 $12.75

-14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$14.99 $14.99

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.17 $4.17

-58.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$5.99 $5.99

-50.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.04 $3.04

-41.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.55 $2.55

96.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.64 $1.64

6.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.89 $23.89

$29.58 $29.58

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.42 $1.42

-26.76%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

0.20%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.62%

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

$165 $165

$299 $299

-44.89%

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

$49.02 $49.02

$70.8 $70.8

-30.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 $58.4

$88.3 $88.3

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 $42.38

$79.5 $79.5

-46.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$17.12 $17.12

-16.88%

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

$1,371 $1,371

$3,013 $3,013

-54.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$31.6K $31.6K

15.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$77.2 $77.2

-25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 $44.79

$55.1 $55.1

-18.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 $74.2

$126 $126

-40.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 $83.5

$163 $163

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$2,464 $2,464

-39.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,956 $1,956

-33.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 $2,476

$4,711 $4,711

-47.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$3,550 $3,550

-40.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,920 $2,920

$7,346 $7,346

-60.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,246 $2,246

$5,048 $5,048

-55.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.85

-3.50%

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

Last update for Apple Valley, MN: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Apple Valley, MN

$1.3K 51.7%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 49.7% $649

Groceries & Markets

Apple Valley, MN

$400 15.8%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 35.4% $142

Eating Out

Apple Valley, MN

$342 13.5%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 19.6% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Apple Valley, MN

$272 10.8%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 68.3% $186

Clothing & Footwear

Apple Valley, MN

$117 4.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 61.6% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Apple Valley, MN

$71 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 60.6% $43

Getting Around

Apple Valley, MN

$21 * 0.8%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 538% $112

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,491 in Apple Valley, MN 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Apple Valley, MN versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $542 – making Apple Valley, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Apple Valley, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:20 7:20 PM

17:20 5:20 PM

2 h behind Apple Valley, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,109

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Apple Valley, MN Seattle, WA 2,250 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Apple Valley, MN
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

Apple Valley, MN vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,529 in Apple Valley, MN, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 50% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,794 per month in Apple Valley, MN 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 Apple Valley, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,529 in Apple Valley, MN and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 50%.

Kindergarten costs $1,371 per month in Apple Valley, MN and $3,013 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,529 in Apple Valley, MN and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,529 in Apple Valley, MN to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Apple Valley, MN. 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.