Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bothell, WA: $3,183 a month against $3,763 in Bellevue, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

154

Cost of Living Index in Bothell, WA
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Bothell, WA Living Index
181

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

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Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,183

/mo nomad

Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,763

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bothell, WA and in Bellevue, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bothell, WA and in Bellevue, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,183 in Bothell, WA versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA.

Bothell, WA $3,183
Bellevue, WA $3,763

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,942 in Bothell, WA versus $5,702 in Bellevue, WA.

Bothell, WA $4,942
Bellevue, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,700 in Bothell, WA versus $7,641 in Bellevue, WA.

Bothell, WA $6,700
Bellevue, WA $7,641

Living in Bothell, WA costs roughly 15% less than in Bellevue, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bothell, WA 134% above, Bellevue, WA 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.19 $25.19

$25.38 $25.38

-0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 $92.6

$101 $101

-8.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$13.03 $13.03

14.89%

Cappuccino

$6.58 $6.58

$5.80 $5.80

13.45%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.15 $3.15

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.51 $2.51

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 $7.99

$7.91 $7.91

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$7.94 $7.94

3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.10 $1.10

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.65 $4.65

-11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$6.05 $6.05

-5.29%

Eggs

$5.65 $5.65

$5.54 $5.54

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 $15.99

$15.96 $15.96

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$16.26 $16.26

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.83 $22.83

$22.78 $22.78

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.61 $5.61

-8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.54 $5.54

-4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.52 $4.52

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.77 $2.77

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.32 $3.32

-9.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.48 $2.48

15.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 $12.19

$12.41 $12.41

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$18.19 $18.19

-18.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.12 $2.12

23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.75 $4.75

2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.05 $3.05

-2.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$110 $110

-8.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.64 $2.64

-1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.70 $1.70

0.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.52 $30.52

$30.09 $30.09

1.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.41 $1.41

-1.42%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$28.6K $28.6K

5.52%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

3.18%

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

$233 $233

$227 $227

2.59%

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

$48.56 $48.56

$54.2 $54.2

-10.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$64.8 $64.8

21.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 $58.2

$186 $186

-68.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 $11.99

$39.31 $39.31

-69.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$18.28 $18.28

-18.49%

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

$2,068 $2,068

$1,980 $1,980

4.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-2.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$62.1 $62.1

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 $45.12

$44.06 $44.06

2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$99.2 $99.2

16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$125 $125

29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 $1,923

$2,940 $2,940

-34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$2,028 $2,028

-24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,463 $3,463

$6,554 $6,554

-47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,052 $3,052

$3,722 $3,722

-17.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,922 $5,922

$7,947 $7,947

-25.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,920 $4,920

$5,385 $5,385

-8.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,220 $6,220

$8,751 $8,751

-28.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.64

0.60%

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

Last update for Bothell, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bothell, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Bellevue, WA

$2K 53.9% 31.6% $487

Groceries & Markets

Bothell, WA

$492 15.5%

Bellevue, WA

$494 13.1% 0.4% $2.1

Eating Out

Bothell, WA

$404 12.7%

Bellevue, WA

$390 10.4% 3.6% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bothell, WA

$361 11.3%

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.2% 3.9% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Bothell, WA

$173 5.4%

Bellevue, WA

$149 4% 14% $24

Getting Around

Bothell, WA

$124 3.9%

Bellevue, WA

$133 3.6% 7.8% $9.6

Sport & Entertainment

Bothell, WA

$88 2.8%

Bellevue, WA

$222 5.9% 153% $134

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,923 in Bothell, WA and $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $93 in Bothell, WA vs $101 in Bellevue, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 vs $494 per month, with Bothell, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🕒 Local time

08:44 8:44 AM

Same time as Bothell, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,161

151,854

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Bothell, WA Bellevue, WA 17 km

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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

Bothell, WA vs Bellevue, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bothell, WA is cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Bothell, WA. 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: $1,923 in Bothell, WA versus $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,068 in Bothell, WA versus $1,980 in Bellevue, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bothell, WA – a meal for two runs $93 versus $101 in Bellevue, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bothell, WA 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.

Safety-wise, Bothell, WA and Bellevue, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Bothell, WA wins on affordability, Bellevue, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.