Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO: $2,721 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
184

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

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Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Colorado Springs, CO $2,721
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Colorado Springs, CO $4,253
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,786 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Colorado Springs, CO $5,786
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Colorado Springs, CO costs roughly 28% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 100% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$25.30 $25.30

-20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$101 $101

-15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 $12.77

$14.76 $14.76

-13.48%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$6.50 $6.50

-15.54%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.21 $3.21

-18.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.14 $3.14

-27.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$7.97 $7.97

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.13 $8.13

-12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.17 $1.17

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$5.30 $5.30

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$6.40 $6.40

-32.34%

Eggs

$5.95 $5.95

$5.06 $5.06

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 $14.64

$18.71 $18.71

-21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$18.72 $18.72

-28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 $19.57

$22.88 $22.88

-14.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.06 $6.06

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.95 $1.95

-29.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.51 $5.51

-20.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.52 $6.52

-26.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.49 $3.49

-28.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.29 $3.29

-20.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.80 $2.80

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.58 $2.58

-23.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$12.49 $12.49

-16.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 $19.36

$14.87 $14.87

30.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.19 $4.19

-20.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.80 $5.80

-18.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.05 $3.05

-41.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$106 $106

-40.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.58 $2.58

40.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 $1.64

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.70 $24.70

$30.12 $30.12

-17.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.41 $1.41

-26.24%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$36.8K $36.8K

-23.08%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.80%

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

$200 $200

$308 $308

-35.07%

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

$95.6 $95.6

$69.2 $69.2

38.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 $103

$86.1 $86.1

19.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.11 $44.11

$76.5 $76.5

-42.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 $33.69

$35.50 $35.50

-5.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$18.02 $18.02

-18.37%

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

$1,558 $1,558

$2,746 $2,746

-43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$30.6K $30.6K

-20.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$79.2 $79.2

-26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 $34.64

$54.3 $54.3

-36.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$127 $127

-36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$159 $159

-36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$2,508 $2,508

-32.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,938 $1,938

-34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 $2,874

$5,117 $5,117

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,573 $2,573

$3,542 $3,542

-27.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 $2,798

$7,374 $7,374

-62.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,283 $2,283

$5,002 $5,002

-54.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,387 $4,387

$6,470 $6,470

-32.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.89

-2.47%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.3K 46.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 52.2% $665

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$442 16.2%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 23.8% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 16.2% $65

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$329 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 23.3% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$124 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52.7% $65

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 59.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$74 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 53% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 47% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $547 per month, with Colorado Springs, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

13:07 1:07 PM

12:07 12:07 PM

1 h behind Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Colorado Springs, CO Seattle, WA 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
Seattle, WA

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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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colorado Springs, CO is about 28% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Colorado Springs, CO. 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: $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Colorado Springs, CO 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.

Expats usually find Colorado Springs, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.