Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chattanooga, TN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chattanooga, TN: $2,611 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Chattanooga, TN
Learn more

Chattanooga, TN Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,611

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,611 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $2,611
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,850 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $3,850
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,089 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $5,089
Seattle, WA $7,489

Chattanooga, TN is about 31% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chattanooga, TN and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Chattanooga, TN by 93%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$24.52 $24.52

-19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 $99.2

$98.2 $98.2

1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 $11.15

$14.79 $14.79

-24.61%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$6.52 $6.52

-17.94%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$3.23 $3.23

-27.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.17 $3.17

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$7.85 $7.85

-21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 $7.49

$8.03 $8.03

-6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.21 $1.21

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.14 $5.14

-29.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$6.05 $6.05

-34.21%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$4.88 $4.88

-14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$19.18 $19.18

-25.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$18.91 $18.91

-21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$23.31 $23.31

-42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$5.99 $5.99

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.93 $1.93

-13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$5.25 $5.25

-19.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$6.57 $6.57

-35.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.62 $3.62

-23.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.31 $3.31

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.78 $2.78

-3.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.51 $2.51

8.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$12.18 $12.18

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.64 $17.64

$14.83 $14.83

18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.22 $4.22

-52.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.77 $5.77

-43.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.95 $2.95

-34.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.71 $49.71

$106 $106

-53.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.65 $2.65

93.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.72 $1.72

11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 $30.07

$29.72 $29.72

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.49 $1.49

-35.57%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-23.16%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.18%

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

$159 $159

$302 $302

-47.37%

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

$82.9 $82.9

$70.1 $70.1

18.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$85.3 $85.3

-11.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 $39.22

$77.8 $77.8

-49.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 $3.95

$34.58 $34.58

-88.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$17.84 $17.84

-15.81%

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

$1,086 $1,086

$2,973 $2,973

-63.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$31.3K $31.3K

-21.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.44 $41.44

$76.6 $76.6

-45.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.80 $38.80

$54.1 $54.1

-28.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$128 $128

-22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$164 $164

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$2,445 $2,445

-30.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,947 $1,947

-34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,190 $3,190

$4,744 $4,744

-32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$3,469 $3,469

-42.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,249 $2,249

$7,367 $7,367

-69.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,273 $2,273

$5,127 $5,127

-55.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,984 $3,984

$6,506 $6,506

-38.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.89

-3.77%

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

Last update for Chattanooga, TN: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chattanooga, TN

$1.3K 48.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 53.1% $675

Groceries & Markets

Chattanooga, TN

$429 16.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 27.3% $117

Eating Out

Chattanooga, TN

$318 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 25.7% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chattanooga, TN

$317 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 44.3% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Chattanooga, TN

$134 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 41.6% $56

Getting Around

Chattanooga, TN

$72 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 79.1% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chattanooga, TN

$69 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 63.9% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Chattanooga, TN versus $2,445 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 63% 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 $99.0 in Chattanooga, TN versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $429 in Chattanooga, TN vs $546 in Seattle, WA – so Chattanooga, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:33 8:33 AM

05:33 5:33 AM

3 h behind Chattanooga, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,588

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chattanooga, TN Seattle, WA 3,350 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chattanooga, TN
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

Chattanooga, TN vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 45% more than Chattanooga, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,917 per month in Chattanooga, TN and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 45%.

Public transport costs about 114% less in Chattanooga, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chattanooga, TN costs $2,611 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chattanooga, TN. 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.