Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellingham, WA: $2,969 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
Learn more

Bellingham, WA Living Index
182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,969

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,969 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $2,969
Seattle, WA $3,762

A couple spends around $4,414 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $5,651 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,414
Seattle, WA $5,651

A family of three spends $5,859 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $7,541 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,859
Seattle, WA $7,541

Bellingham, WA is about 21% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bellingham, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 120%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.14 $23.14

$23.80 $23.80

-2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$98.6 $98.6

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.94 $14.94

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$6.79 $6.79

-14.58%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.23 $3.23

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.15 $3.15

-31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$8.21 $8.21

-12.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$7.87 $7.87

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$5.29 $5.29

-31.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.76 $5.76

-13.37%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.89 $4.89

3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.85 $20.85

$20.25 $20.25

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.01 $18.01

$17.95 $17.95

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$23.35 $23.35

2.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$5.94 $5.94

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.89 $1.89

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$5.35 $5.35

1.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$6.57 $6.57

-1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.39 $3.39

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.88 $2.88

2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.89 $2.89

-8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.43 $2.43

2.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 $12.27

$12.18 $12.18

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.24 $15.24

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.38 $4.38

-61.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.89 $5.89

-5.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.96 $2.96

-34.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 $29.66

$109 $109

-72.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.52 $2.52

5.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.05 $30.05

$29.70 $29.70

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.51 $1.51

-0.66%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$36.2K $36.2K

-23.29%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.27%

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

$218 $218

$289 $289

-24.67%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$69.1 $69.1

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.4 $80.4

$84.8 $84.8

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$69.4 $69.4

-11.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 $15.06

$35.05 $35.05

-57.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 $17.89

$17.97 $17.97

-0.45%

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

$1,148 $1,148

$2,819 $2,819

-59.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K $12.1K

$43.9K $43.9K

-72.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 $78.6

$91.2 $91.2

-13.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.01 $29.01

$55.1 $55.1

-47.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$127 $127

-7.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$162 $162

-39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$2,579 $2,579

-35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$1,943 $1,943

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 $2,627

$5,100 $5,100

-48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,385 $2,385

$3,541 $3,541

-32.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,446 $4,446

$7,357 $7,357

-39.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,853 $3,853

$4,921 $4,921

-21.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,304 $4,304

$6,448 $6,448

-33.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.8

-3.38%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.4K 48.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 34.5% $498

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$510 17.2%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 6.5% $33

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$366 12.3%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 9.2% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$357 12%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 24% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$146 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 34.4% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$98 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 8% $7.8

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$49 1.6%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 171% $83

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,663 in Bellingham, WA versus $2,579 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 50% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Bellingham, WA versus $99 in Seattle, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $510 in Bellingham, WA vs $544 in Seattle, WA – so Bellingham, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

23:56 11:56 PM

Same time as Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bellingham, WA Seattle, WA 130 km

From you

Bellingham, 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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 27% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,454 per month in Bellingham, WA and $5,642 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellingham, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,663 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Bellingham, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,969 in Bellingham, WA and $3,762 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Bellingham, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.