Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, MN: $2,515 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Austin, MN
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Austin, MN Living Index
184

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

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Austin, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,515 per month in Austin, MN vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Austin, MN $2,515
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,745 per month in Austin, MN vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Austin, MN $3,745
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,975 per month in Austin, MN vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Austin, MN $4,975
Seattle, WA $7,592

Austin, MN is about 34% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Austin, MN and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Austin, MN by 85%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$25.30 $25.30

-21.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$101 $101

-0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$14.76 $14.76

-17.34%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$6.50 $6.50

-23.69%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$3.21 $3.21

-7.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.14 $3.14

-37.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.97 $7.97

-37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$8.13 $8.13

-27.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.17 $1.17

-26.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.30 $5.30

-43.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$6.40 $6.40

-69.22%

Eggs

$2.66 $2.66

$5.06 $5.06

-47.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$18.71 $18.71

-47.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$18.72 $18.72

-65.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 $19.04

$22.88 $22.88

-16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$6.06 $6.06

-10.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.95 $1.95

-36.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$5.51 $5.51

-33.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$6.52 $6.52

-73.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.49 $3.49

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.29 $3.29

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.80 $2.80

-45.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.58 $2.58

-21.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 $9.73

$12.49 $12.49

-22.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$14.87 $14.87

-80.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.19 $4.19

-59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$5.80 $5.80

-47.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.05 $3.05

-24.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 $51.5

$106 $106

-51.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.64 $1.64

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.27 $20.27

$30.12 $30.12

-32.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-27.26%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-5.48%

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

$185 $185

$308 $308

-39.77%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$69.2 $69.2

-22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$86.1 $86.1

-9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 $42.15

$76.5 $76.5

-44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 $10.17

$18.02 $18.02

-43.56%

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

$1,306 $1,306

$2,746 $2,746

-52.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

-61.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 $75.0

$79.2 $79.2

-5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$54.3 $54.3

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$127 $127

-17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 $166

$159 $159

4.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 $1,471

$2,508 $2,508

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$1,938 $1,938

-33.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,519 $2,519

$5,117 $5,117

-50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 $2,111

$3,542 $3,542

-40.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,819 $2,819

$7,374 $7,374

-61.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 $2,036

$5,002 $5,002

-59.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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

Last update for Austin, MN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, MN

$1.3K 50.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 51.4% $658

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, MN

$316 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 46.3% $146

Eating Out

Austin, MN

$312 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 30.4% $95

Groceries & Markets

Austin, MN

$296 11.8%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 84.8% $251

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, MN

$180 7.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 4.9% $8.8

Getting Around

Austin, MN

$69 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 87.6% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, MN

$62 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 80% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,471 in Austin, MN versus $2,508 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 $100 in Austin, MN versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $547 – making Austin, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:18 8:18 AM

06:18 6:18 AM

2 h behind Austin, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, MN Seattle, WA 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, 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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,773 per month in Austin, MN and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,471 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,515 in Austin, MN and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That’s a gap of about 50%.

Kindergarten costs $1,306 per month in Austin, MN and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,515 in Austin, MN and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Austin, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.