Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,800 a month against $4,444 in Boston, MA, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Boston, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

214

Cost of Living Index in Boston, MA
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Boston, MA Living Index
185

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

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Boston, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,444

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,444 per month in Boston, MA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Boston, MA $4,444
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $6,187 per month in Boston, MA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Boston, MA $6,187
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $7,930 per month in Boston, MA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Boston, MA $7,930
Seattle, WA $7,603

Boston, MA costs about 17% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Boston, MA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Boston, MA by 229%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 $30.22

$25.32 $25.32

19.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$101 $101

17.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$14.85 $14.85

-20.81%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$6.59 $6.59

-20.79%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$3.22 $3.22

-2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.14 $3.14

-26.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.18 $8.18

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$8.03 $8.03

11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.21 $1.21

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.12 $5.12

-12.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$6.30 $6.30

8.73%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$4.90 $4.90

22.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 $15.53

$19.10 $19.10

-18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$18.50 $18.50

-18.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$23.03 $23.03

-14.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 $7.47

$5.81 $5.81

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.95 $1.95

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.29 $5.29

4.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.40 $7.40

$6.48 $6.48

14.20%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.57 $3.57

20.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.15 $3.15

30.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.85 $2.85

3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.42 $2.42

21.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 $12.39

$12.75 $12.75

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.97 $15.97

$14.99 $14.99

6.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.17 $4.17

-26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.99 $5.99

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.04 $3.04

-22.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 $89.5

$110 $110

-18.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.55 $2.55

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.64 $1.64

6.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 $27.60

$29.58 $29.58

-6.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.42 $1.42

-20.42%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.54%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

3.08%

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

$243 $243

$299 $299

-18.68%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$70.8 $70.8

-21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 $87.0

$88.3 $88.3

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 $86.1

$79.5 $79.5

8.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.59 $41.59

$35.37 $35.37

17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 $15.86

$17.12 $17.12

-7.36%

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

$2,926 $2,926

$3,013 $3,013

-2.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$31.6K $31.6K

15.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 $74.6

$77.2 $77.2

-3.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$55.1 $55.1

-8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$126 $126

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,350 $3,350

$2,464 $2,464

35.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$1,956 $1,956

38.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,835 $5,835

$4,711 $4,711

23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,927 $3,927

$3,550 $3,550

10.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K $13.3K

$7,346 $7,346

80.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,353 $6,353

$5,048 $5,048

25.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,998 $5,998

$6,286 $6,286

-4.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.85

-2.77%

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

Last update for Boston, MA: 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

Boston, MA

$2.7K 60.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 27.7% $750

Groceries & Markets

Boston, MA

$524 11.8%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 3.4% $18

Eating Out

Boston, MA

$419 9.4%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 2.6% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boston, MA

$386 8.7%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 18.8% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Boston, MA

$182 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 4.2% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Boston, MA

$118 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 3.5% $4.1

Getting Around

Boston, MA

$110 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 20.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,350 in Boston, MA 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 5% higher in Seattle, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Boston, MA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $524 in Boston, MA vs $542 in Seattle, WA – so Boston, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boston, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

18:34 6:34 PM

15:34 3:34 PM

3 h behind Boston, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

675,647

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Boston, MA Seattle, WA 4,000 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Boston, MA
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

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

Boston, MA costs about 17% more than Seattle, 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 $6,667 per month in Boston, MA 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 Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Boston, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Boston, MA and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,444 in Boston, MA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seattle, WA costs $3,800 versus $4,444 in Boston, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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