Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, WA: $2,589 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

126

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

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

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Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Auburn, WA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, WA $2,589
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $4,092 per month in Auburn, WA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, WA $4,092
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,595 per month in Auburn, WA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, WA $5,595
Seattle, WA $7,489

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

Both Auburn, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Auburn, WA by 91%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$24.52 $24.52

-19.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$98.2 $98.2

-2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.79 $14.79

-20.82%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$6.52 $6.52

-31.60%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$3.23 $3.23

-36.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.17 $3.17

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$7.85 $7.85

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$8.03 $8.03

-10.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.21 $1.21

-26.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 $2.56

$5.14 $5.14

-50.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$6.05 $6.05

-38.02%

Eggs

$3.04 $3.04

$4.88 $4.88

-37.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$19.18 $19.18

-55.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$18.91 $18.91

-27.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.56 $18.56

$23.31 $23.31

-20.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$5.99 $5.99

-20.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.93 $1.93

-6.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$5.25 $5.25

-27.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$6.57 $6.57

-36.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.62 $3.62

-14.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.31 $3.31

-1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.78 $2.78

-34.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.51 $2.51

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$12.18 $12.18

-11.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$14.83 $14.83

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.22 $4.22

-59.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.77 $5.77

-49.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.65 $2.65

33.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.72 $1.72

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$29.72 $29.72

69.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.49 $1.49

-12.75%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-28.67%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-6.58%

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

$216 $216

$302 $302

-28.28%

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

$40.51 $40.51

$70.1 $70.1

-42.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$85.3 $85.3

-6.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 $34.39

$77.8 $77.8

-55.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$17.84 $17.84

-17.21%

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

$1,077 $1,077

$2,973 $2,973

-63.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

-46.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$76.6 $76.6

-27.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 $46.82

$54.1 $54.1

-13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$128 $128

-38.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 $81.3

$164 $164

-50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$2,445 $2,445

-39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,947 $1,947

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$4,744 $4,744

-51.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 $2,844

$3,469 $3,469

-18.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,864 $6,864

$6,506 $6,506

5.49%

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 Auburn, WA: 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

Auburn, WA

$1.4K 53.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 40.9% $565

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, WA

$375 14.5%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 45.4% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, WA

$336 13%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 35.9% $121

Eating Out

Auburn, WA

$301 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 32.6% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, WA

$118 4.6%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 61% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, WA

$64 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 77.6% $50

Getting Around

Auburn, WA

$13 * 0.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 913% $117

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,470 in Auburn, WA versus $2,445 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 5% higher in Auburn, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Auburn, WA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $546 – making Auburn, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:19 2:19 PM

Same time as Auburn, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

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

Auburn, WA Seattle, WA 34 km

From you

Auburn, WA
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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Auburn, WA, 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 $3,884 per month in Auburn, WA and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Auburn, WA, 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 $2,589 in Auburn, WA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 46%.

Kindergarten costs $1,077 per month in Auburn, WA and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Auburn, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,589, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Auburn, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Auburn, WA costs $2,589 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Auburn, WA. 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.