Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bend, OR and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bend, OR: $3,199 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Bend, OR
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Bend, OR Living Index
184

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

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Bend, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$3,199

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,199 in Bend, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Bend, OR $3,199
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,462 in Bend, OR versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Bend, OR $4,462
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,724 in Bend, OR versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Bend, OR $5,724
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Bend, OR costs roughly 15% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bend, OR 135% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.31 $21.31

$25.30 $25.30

-15.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$101 $101

-11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 $10.25

$14.76 $14.76

-30.56%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$6.50 $6.50

-12.62%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$3.21 $3.21

-24.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.14 $3.14

-43.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 $6.32

$7.97 $7.97

-20.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.13 $8.13

-1.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.17 $1.17

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$5.30 $5.30

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$6.40 $6.40

-32.97%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$5.06 $5.06

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.93 $18.93

$18.71 $18.71

1.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$18.72 $18.72

-41.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.21 $26.21

$22.88 $22.88

14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.06 $6.06

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.95 $1.95

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$5.51 $5.51

18.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$6.52 $6.52

-18.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.49 $3.49

-45.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.80 $2.80

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.58 $2.58

36.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 $11.42

$12.49 $12.49

-8.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.98 $15.98

$14.87 $14.87

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$4.19 $4.19

-59.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.80 $5.80

-11.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.05 $3.05

-33.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$106 $106

-42.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.58 $2.58

58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.64 $1.64

49.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.67 $44.67

$30.12 $30.12

48.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.41 $1.41

-7.09%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$36.8K $36.8K

-20.46%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.6K $26.6K

-7.62%

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

$199 $199

$308 $308

-35.37%

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

$78.1 $78.1

$69.2 $69.2

12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 $44.31

$76.5 $76.5

-42.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 $39.95

$35.50 $35.50

12.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.58 $14.58

$18.02 $18.02

-19.09%

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

$1,140 $1,140

$2,746 $2,746

-58.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

4.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 $63.1

$79.2 $79.2

-20.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.2 $71.2

$54.3 $54.3

31.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$127 $127

-29.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$159 $159

-25.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 $1,957

$2,508 $2,508

-21.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 $1,714

$1,938 $1,938

-11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 $2,973

$5,117 $5,117

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 $2,360

$3,542 $3,542

-33.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,698 $6,698

$7,374 $7,374

-9.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,029 $4,029

$5,002 $5,002

-19.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,781 $4,781

$6,470 $6,470

-26.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.89

-1.60%

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

Last update for Bend, OR: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bend, OR

$1.7K 53.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 13.1% $225

Groceries & Markets

Bend, OR

$476 14.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 14.9% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bend, OR

$363 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 27.5% $100

Eating Out

Bend, OR

$334 10.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 21.7% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Bend, OR

$154 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 22.6% $35

Getting Around

Bend, OR

$85 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 51.8% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Bend, OR

$73 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 53.1% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,957 in Bend, OR and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 35% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Bend, OR vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 vs $547 per month, with Bend, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bend, OR

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

13:32 1:32 PM

Same time as Bend, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,823

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Bend, OR Seattle, WA 400 km

From you

Bend, OR
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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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,199 in Bend, OR and $3,785 in Seattle, WA, so Bend, OR is about 15% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Bend, OR. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,957 in Bend, OR versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bend, OR runs roughly 43% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $1,140 in Bend, OR versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bend, OR 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.

Expats usually find Bend, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.