Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Bellevue, WA and in Seattle, WA: $3,719 and $3,800 a month, rent and utilities included.

181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA Living Index
185

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

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Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,719

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,719 in Bellevue, WA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Bellevue, WA $3,719
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,673 in Bellevue, WA versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Bellevue, WA $5,673
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,628 in Bellevue, WA versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Bellevue, WA $7,628
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Bellevue, WA costs roughly 2% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bellevue, WA 175% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$25.32 $25.32

0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.04 $13.04

$14.85 $14.85

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$6.59 $6.59

-11.68%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.22 $3.22

-0.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.14 $3.14

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.18 $8.18

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.03 $8.03

0.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.21 $1.21

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.12 $5.12

-5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$6.30 $6.30

-4.76%

Eggs

$5.55 $5.55

$4.90 $4.90

13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.32 $16.32

$19.10 $19.10

-14.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$18.50 $18.50

-14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.81 $5.81

-3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.95 $1.95

-4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.48 $6.48

-30.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.57 $3.57

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.15 $3.15

0.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.85 $2.85

-28.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.42 $2.42

2.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.75 $12.75

-4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 $18.59

$14.99 $14.99

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.17 $4.17

-47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$5.99 $5.99

-20.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.04 $3.04

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$110 $110

-3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.55 $2.55

-0.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.64 $1.64

0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.32 $30.32

$29.58 $29.58

2.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.42 $1.42

1.41%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

2.77%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.98%

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

$226 $226

$299 $299

-24.46%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$70.8 $70.8

-23.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$88.3 $88.3

-25.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$134 $134

$79.5 $79.5

68.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$35.37 $35.37

12.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.31 $17.31

$17.12 $17.12

1.11%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$3,013 $3,013

-34.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K $31.5K

$31.6K $31.6K

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 $60.8

$77.2 $77.2

-21.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.35 $44.35

$55.1 $55.1

-19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$126 $126

-23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$163 $163

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$2,464 $2,464

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 $2,041

$1,956 $1,956

4.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,658 $5,658

$4,711 $4,711

20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,822 $3,822

$3,550 $3,550

7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,604 $4,604

$7,346 $7,346

-37.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,735 $4,735

$5,048 $5,048

-6.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,805 $8,805

$6,286 $6,286

40.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.85

-3.07%

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

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellevue, WA

$2K 54.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 4.2% $85

Groceries & Markets

Bellevue, WA

$495 13.3%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 9.3% $46

Eating Out

Bellevue, WA

$392 10.5%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 4.3% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 32.6% $113

Sport & Entertainment

Bellevue, WA

$169 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 32.5% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Bellevue, WA

$148 4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 28.1% $42

Getting Around

Bellevue, WA

$128 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 3.5% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,683 in Bellevue, WA and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Bellevue, WA vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $495 vs $542, with Bellevue, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:01 6:01 AM

Same time as Bellevue, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

151,854

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellevue, WA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% 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: $2,683 in Bellevue, WA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bellevue, WA – a meal for two runs $102 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,719 per month in Bellevue, WA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bellevue, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bellevue, WA 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.

Safety-wise, Bellevue, WA and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bellevue, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.