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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,501 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,768 in Cambridge, MA versus $5,763 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,036 in Cambridge, MA versus $7,691 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 17% more expensive than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 228% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.17 $19.17

$24.68 $24.68

-22.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$99.1 $99.1

-0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$15.09 $15.09

-18.95%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$6.62 $6.62

-19.94%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$3.13 $3.13

-2.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.98 $2.98

-21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$8.12 $8.12

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$7.85 $7.85

2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.20 $5.20

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$6.40 $6.40

1.72%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$4.91 $4.91

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.35 $15.35

$21.46 $21.46

-28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 $13.92

$18.58 $18.58

-25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 $18.53

$23.05 $23.05

-19.61%

Apples (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.79 $5.79

23.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.88 $1.88

-12.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$5.38 $5.38

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.30 $6.30

0.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.80 $3.80

1.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.26 $3.26

15.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.87 $2.87

0.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.71 $2.71

1.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.35 $12.35

$14.15 $14.15

-12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 $16.62

$15.07 $15.07

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$4.36 $4.36

-55.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.75 $5.75

-6.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.06 $3.06

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.7 $91.7

$110 $110

-16.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.57 $2.57

-21.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.65 $1.65

-7.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 $11.14

$29.88 $29.88

-62.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.38 $1.38

-25.36%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$36.4K $36.4K

-0.58%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.1K $25.1K

0.99%

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

$227 $227

$296 $296

-23.25%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$71.3 $71.3

-23.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$88.0 $88.0

-10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 $74.4

$81.5 $81.5

-8.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.57 $29.57

$35.70 $35.70

-17.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$18.33 $18.33

-18.55%

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

$2,880 $2,880

$3,067 $3,067

-6.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K $35.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

15.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 $73.7

$77.0 $77.0

-4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$54.0 $54.0

-5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$128 $128

-19.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$165 $165

-14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,465 $3,465

$2,418 $2,418

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 $2,825

$1,931 $1,931

46.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,359 $5,359

$4,756 $4,756

12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 $3,579

$3,584 $3,584

-0.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,013 $5,013

$7,403 $7,403

-32.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$5,056 $5,056

-0.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$6,320 $6,320

-1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

6.42

-2.96%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,465 in Cambridge, MA and $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $554 per month, with Cambridge, MA cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cambridge, MA and Seattle, WA differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($4,501 vs $3,836 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Seattle, 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: $3,465 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge, MA pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $98.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Seattle, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seattle, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA and Seattle, 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.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.