Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellevue, WA and Bothell, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bothell, WA: $3,183 a month against $3,763 in Bellevue, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA Living Index
154

Cost of Living Index in Bothell, WA
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Bothell, WA Living Index

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Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,763

/mo nomad

Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,183

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellevue, WA and in Bothell, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bellevue, WA and in Bothell, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,763 in Bellevue, WA versus $3,183 in Bothell, WA.

Bellevue, WA $3,763
Bothell, WA $3,183

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Bellevue, WA versus $4,942 in Bothell, WA.

Bellevue, WA $5,702
Bothell, WA $4,942

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,641 in Bellevue, WA versus $6,700 in Bothell, WA.

Bellevue, WA $7,641
Bothell, WA $6,700

Living in Bellevue, WA is roughly 18% more expensive than in Bothell, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bellevue, WA 177% above, Bothell, WA 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.38 $25.38

$25.19 $25.19

0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$92.6 $92.6

8.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$14.97 $14.97

-12.96%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$6.58 $6.58

-11.85%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$3.08 $3.08

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.61 $2.61

-3.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$7.99 $7.99

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$8.18 $8.18

-2.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.16 $1.16

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.13 $4.13

12.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.73 $5.73

5.58%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$5.65 $5.65

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$15.99 $15.99

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$15.91 $15.91

2.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.78 $22.78

$22.83 $22.83

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.16 $5.16

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$5.30 $5.30

4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.44 $5.44

-16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.55 $3.55

-21.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.99 $2.99

11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.26 $2.26

-11.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.86 $2.86

-13.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.41 $12.41

$12.19 $12.19

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 $18.19

$14.89 $14.89

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.61 $2.61

-18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.89 $4.89

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.97 $2.97

2.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$101 $101

9.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.61 $2.61

1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.71 $1.71

-0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.09 $30.09

$30.52 $30.52

-1.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.39 $1.39

1.44%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$30.2K $30.2K

-5.23%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-3.08%

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

$227 $227

$233 $233

-2.52%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$48.56 $48.56

11.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$78.6 $78.6

-17.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$186 $186

$58.2 $58.2

219.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.31 $39.31

$11.99 $11.99

227.86%

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$14.90 $14.90

22.68%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$2,068 $2,068

-4.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.0K $31.0K

2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$61.4 $61.4

1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.06 $44.06

$45.12 $45.12

-2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 $99.2

$115 $115

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$163 $163

-22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,940 $2,940

$1,923 $1,923

52.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$1,541 $1,541

31.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,554 $6,554

$3,463 $3,463

89.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,722 $3,722

$3,052 $3,052

21.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,947 $7,947

$5,922 $5,922

34.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,385 $5,385

$4,920 $4,920

9.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,751 $8,751

$6,220 $6,220

40.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.68

-0.60%

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

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bothell, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellevue, WA

$2K 53.9%

Bothell, WA

$1.5K 48.4% 24% $487

Groceries & Markets

Bellevue, WA

$494 13.1%

Bothell, WA

$492 15.5% 0.4% $2.1

Eating Out

Bellevue, WA

$390 10.4%

Bothell, WA

$404 12.7% 3.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.2%

Bothell, WA

$361 11.3% 4.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Bellevue, WA

$222 5.9%

Bothell, WA

$88 2.8% 60.4% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Bellevue, WA

$149 4%

Bothell, WA

$173 5.4% 16.3% $24

Getting Around

Bellevue, WA

$133 3.6%

Bothell, WA

$124 3.9% 7.2% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,940 in Bellevue, WA and $1,923 in Bothell, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Bellevue, WA vs $93 in Bothell, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $494 vs $492 per month, with Bothell, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 Bothell, WA

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

Same time as Bellevue, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

151,854

48,161

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Bellevue, WA Bothell, WA 17 km

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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

Bellevue, WA vs Bothell, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bothell, WA is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Bellevue, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,940 in Bellevue, WA versus $1,923 in Bothell, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,980 in Bellevue, WA versus $2,068 in Bothell, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bothell, WA – a meal for two runs $93 versus $101 in Bellevue, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bothell, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bellevue, WA and Bothell, WA are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Bothell, WA wins on affordability, Bellevue, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.