Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,038 in Cary, NC versus $3,565 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,477 in Cary, NC versus $5,605 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,916 in Cary, NC versus $7,645 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Cary, NC costs roughly 15% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 127% above, Seattle, WA 167% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$24.79 $24.79

-27.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$119 $119

-17.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 $10.56

$14.15 $14.15

-25.37%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.71 $5.71

-8.58%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$2.93 $2.93

-29.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.52 $2.52

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$7.89 $7.89

-37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 $6.74

$8.05 $8.05

-16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.36 $1.36

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.07 $5.07

10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.25 $5.25

14.86%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$6.91 $6.91

-34.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$24.95 $24.95

-16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$15.75 $15.75

-20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$20.72 $20.72

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.19 $6.19

-5.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.79 $2.79

-36.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.52 $5.52

-22.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$6.42 $6.42

5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.16 $3.16

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.89 $3.89

-11.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.70 $2.70

8.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.53 $2.53

-22.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$11.37 $11.37

-17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$15.67 $15.67

-36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.87 $2.87

-20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.26 $4.26

16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.71 $2.71

-29.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$98.8 $98.8

-39.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.58 $2.58

38.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.63 $1.63

1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$29.68 $29.68

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.14 $1.14

-30.70%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$32.8K $32.8K

-9.31%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

8.18%

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

$171 $171

$264 $264

-35.33%

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

$49.09 $49.09

$61.6 $61.6

-20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$75.5 $75.5

-17.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$78.0 $78.0

-3.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.28 $40.28

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$16.11 $16.11

-14.84%

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

$1,484 $1,484

$2,212 $2,212

-32.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$29.0K $29.0K

-19.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.87 $48.87

$69.3 $69.3

-29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.38 $32.38

$53.8 $53.8

-39.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$119 $119

6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$142 $142

-3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$2,357 $2,357

-24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,834 $1,834

-13.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$4,686 $4,686

-43.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$3,571 $3,571

-23.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$7,539 $7,539

-62.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$5,046 $5,046

-46.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,861 $5,861

$6,473 $6,473

-9.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.42

-1.71%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: July 14, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,770 in Cary, NC and $2,357 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Cary, NC vs $119 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $543 per month, with Cary, NC 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

Cary, NC vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cary, NC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% 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: $1,770 in Cary, NC versus $2,357 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,484 in Cary, NC versus $2,212 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Cary, NC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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