Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Arlington, TX: $2,439 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX Living Index
185

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

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Arlington, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,439

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,439 in Arlington, TX versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Arlington, TX $2,439
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,647 in Arlington, TX versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Arlington, TX $3,647
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,855 in Arlington, TX versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Arlington, TX $4,855
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Arlington, TX costs roughly 36% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, TX 81% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$25.32 $25.32

-19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$101 $101

-45.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$14.85 $14.85

-31.92%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$6.59 $6.59

-26.25%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$3.22 $3.22

-20.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.14 $3.14

-27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$8.18 $8.18

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 $6.68

$8.03 $8.03

-16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.21 $1.21

-35.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$5.12 $5.12

-28.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$6.30 $6.30

-16.51%

Eggs

$2.67 $2.67

$4.90 $4.90

-45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 $10.60

$19.10 $19.10

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$18.50 $18.50

-29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$23.03 $23.03

-21.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.81 $5.81

-23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.95 $1.95

36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.29 $5.29

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.48 $6.48

-37.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.57 $3.57

-29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.15 $3.15

-5.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.85 $2.85

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.42 $2.42

-14.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 $9.52

$12.75 $12.75

-25.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 $12.03

$14.99 $14.99

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.17 $4.17

-51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$5.99 $5.99

-43.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.04 $3.04

100.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$110 $110

-63.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.55 $2.55

14.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.64 $1.64

3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 $23.81

$29.58 $29.58

-19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.42 $1.42

-33.80%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

0.13%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.62%

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

$211 $211

$299 $299

-29.45%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$70.8 $70.8

-6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$88.3 $88.3

-27.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.87 $40.87

$79.5 $79.5

-48.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$17.12 $17.12

-13.90%

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

$1,332 $1,332

$3,013 $3,013

-55.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.4K $28.4K

$31.6K $31.6K

-10.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$77.2 $77.2

-20.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$55.1 $55.1

-7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$126 $126

-32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$163 $163

-37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$2,464 $2,464

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 $1,112

$1,956 $1,956

-43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$4,711 $4,711

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 $2,031

$3,550 $3,550

-42.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 $2,173

$7,346 $7,346

-70.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,217 $2,217

$5,048 $5,048

-56.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,699 $3,699

$6,286 $6,286

-41.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.85

-4.96%

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

Last update for Arlington, TX: 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

Arlington, TX

$1.1K 45.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 75.9% $844

Groceries & Markets

Arlington, TX

$393 16.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 37.9% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arlington, TX

$341 14%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 34.2% $117

Eating Out

Arlington, TX

$311 12.8%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 31.2% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Arlington, TX

$135 5.5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 40.7% $55

Getting Around

Arlington, TX

$76 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 74.4% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Arlington, TX

$70 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 61.7% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,536 in Arlington, TX and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Arlington, TX vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $542 per month, with Arlington, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Arlington, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

12:17 12:17 PM

10:17 10:17 AM

2 h behind Arlington, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

365,438

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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Highest

Between locations

Arlington, TX Seattle, WA 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Arlington, TX
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

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

Arlington, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arlington, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $1,536 in Arlington, TX versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,439 per month in Arlington, TX versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arlington, TX runs roughly 172% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Arlington, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arlington, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,439 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arlington, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Arlington, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.