Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, OH and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, OH: $1,669 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Athens, OH
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Athens, OH Living Index
184

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

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Athens, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,669

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,669 in Athens, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Athens, OH $1,669
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,495 in Athens, OH versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Athens, OH $2,495
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,320 in Athens, OH versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Athens, OH $3,320
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Athens, OH costs roughly 56% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens, OH 23% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$24.52 $24.52

-39.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.20 $49.20

$98.2 $98.2

-49.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$14.79 $14.79

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$6.52 $6.52

-23.62%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$3.23 $3.23

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.17 $3.17

-55.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$7.85 $7.85

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$8.03 $8.03

-12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.21 $1.21

-42.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 $2.06

$5.14 $5.14

-59.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$6.05 $6.05

-50.25%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$4.88 $4.88

-12.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$19.18 $19.18

-34.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$18.91 $18.91

-54.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 $16.20

$23.31 $23.31

-30.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.99 $5.99

-39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.93 $1.93

-50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.25 $5.25

-46.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$6.57 $6.57

-54.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.62 $3.62

-53.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.31 $3.31

-34.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.78 $2.78

-40.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.51 $2.51

-23.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$12.18 $12.18

-25.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.22 $4.22

-49.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$5.77 $5.77

-46.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.95 $2.95

-65.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.65 $2.65

45.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.72 $1.72

-26.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.15 $25.15

$29.72 $29.72

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.49 $1.49

-41.61%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

1.05%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.61%

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

$150 $150

$302 $302

-50.40%

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

$29.86 $29.86

$70.1 $70.1

-57.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.41 $48.41

$85.3 $85.3

-43.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 $11.85

$17.84 $17.84

-33.58%

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

$1,476 $1,476

$2,973 $2,973

-50.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K $19.5K

$31.3K $31.3K

-37.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 $46.08

$76.6 $76.6

-39.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 $45.56

$54.1 $54.1

-15.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 $65.4

$128 $128

-48.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$164 $164

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$2,445 $2,445

-46.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 $701

$1,947 $1,947

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 $1,471

$4,744 $4,744

-69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 $1,216

$3,469 $3,469

-64.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 $1,644

$7,367 $7,367

-77.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 $1,650

$5,127 $5,127

-67.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,377 $3,377

$6,506 $6,506

-48.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.89

-4.35%

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

Last update for Athens, OH: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Athens, OH

$701 42%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 178% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Athens, OH

$322 19.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 69.7% $224

Eating Out

Athens, OH

$262 15.7%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 52.8% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Athens, OH

$228 13.7%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 101% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Athens, OH

$119 7.2%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 59.6% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Athens, OH

$24 * 1.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 379% $90

Getting Around

Athens, OH

$14 * 0.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 806% $115

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Athens, OH and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 93% 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: $49.00 in Athens, OH vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $546 per month, with Athens, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Athens, OH

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

07:39 7:39 AM

04:39 4:39 AM

3 h behind Athens, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,452

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

Athens, OH Seattle, WA 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Athens, OH
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

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

Athens, OH is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 93% 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: $1,313 in Athens, OH versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,669 per month in Athens, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,669 in Athens, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Athens, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Athens, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Athens, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Athens, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.