Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethlehem, PA: $2,630 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Bethlehem, PA
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Bethlehem, PA Living Index
185

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

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Bethlehem, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,630

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA $2,630
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,712 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA $3,712
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA $4,794
Seattle, WA $7,603

Bethlehem, PA is about 31% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bethlehem, PA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Bethlehem, PA by 95%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 $18.12

$25.32 $25.32

-28.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 $50.4

$101 $101

-50.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.85 $14.85

-11.25%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$6.59 $6.59

-23.52%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$3.22 $3.22

-7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.14 $3.14

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 $5.22

$8.18 $8.18

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.03 $8.03

1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 $3.89

$5.12 $5.12

-24.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$6.30 $6.30

-37.94%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$4.90 $4.90

-17.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$19.10 $19.10

-36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 $16.53

$18.50 $18.50

-10.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$23.03 $23.03

-19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.81 $5.81

8.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.95 $1.95

-32.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.29 $5.29

-23.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$6.48 $6.48

-33.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.57 $3.57

-37.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.15 $3.15

-16.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.85 $2.85

-4.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.42 $2.42

-24.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 $9.67

$12.75 $12.75

-24.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 $17.69

$14.99 $14.99

18.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$4.17 $4.17

-57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.99 $5.99

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.55 $2.55

92.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.64 $1.64

84.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.21 $35.21

$29.58 $29.58

19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.42 $1.42

-34.51%

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$35.7K $35.7K

-36.85%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-5.01%

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

$203 $203

$299 $299

-32.25%

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

$39.54 $39.54

$70.8 $70.8

-44.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.2 $79.2

$88.3 $88.3

-10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.73 $36.73

$79.5 $79.5

-53.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$17.12 $17.12

-11.45%

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

$1,004 $1,004

$3,013 $3,013

-66.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$64.9K $64.9K

$31.6K $31.6K

105.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$77.2 $77.2

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.05 $30.05

$55.1 $55.1

-45.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 $66.1

$126 $126

-47.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 $84.2

$163 $163

-48.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$2,464 $2,464

-36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 $1,373

$1,956 $1,956

-29.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 $2,225

$4,711 $4,711

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 $2,155

$3,550 $3,550

-39.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,149 $2,149

$7,346 $7,346

-70.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,123 $2,123

$5,048 $5,048

-57.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,507 $3,507

$6,286 $6,286

-44.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.85

-5.11%

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

Last update for Bethlehem, PA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bethlehem, PA

$1.4K 52.2%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 42.5% $583

Groceries & Markets

Bethlehem, PA

$437 16.6%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 24% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethlehem, PA

$321 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 42.6% $137

Eating Out

Bethlehem, PA

$307 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 33% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Bethlehem, PA

$105 4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 80.1% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Bethlehem, PA

$67 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 69.6% $47

Getting Around

Bethlehem, PA

$20 * 0.8%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 564% $113

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,561 in Bethlehem, PA versus $2,464 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 79% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $437 vs $542 – making Bethlehem, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bethlehem, PA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

13:28 1:28 PM

10:28 10:28 AM

3 h behind Bethlehem, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

75,624

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bethlehem, PA Seattle, WA 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Bethlehem, PA
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,630 in Bethlehem, PA, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 44% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Bethlehem, PA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bethlehem, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,630 in Bethlehem, PA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,630 in Bethlehem, PA to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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