Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, OH: $2,491 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Columbus, OH
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Columbus, OH Living Index
184

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

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Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,491

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,491 per month in Columbus, OH vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Columbus, OH $2,491
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Columbus, OH vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Columbus, OH $3,714
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,936 per month in Columbus, OH vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Columbus, OH $4,936
Seattle, WA $7,489

Columbus, OH is about 34% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Columbus, OH and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Columbus, OH by 84%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.03 $22.03

$24.52 $24.52

-10.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 $77.8

$98.2 $98.2

-20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$14.79 $14.79

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$6.52 $6.52

-15.80%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$3.23 $3.23

-21.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.17 $3.17

-37.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$7.85 $7.85

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$8.03 $8.03

-10.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.21 $1.21

-25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 $3.13

$5.14 $5.14

-39.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$6.05 $6.05

-12.89%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$4.88 $4.88

-22.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$19.18 $19.18

-27.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 $14.55

$18.91 $18.91

-23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 $15.83

$23.31 $23.31

-32.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$5.99 $5.99

7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.93 $1.93

-10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.25 $5.25

15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$6.57 $6.57

-26.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.62 $3.62

-21.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.31 $3.31

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.78 $2.78

-21.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.51 $2.51

-5.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$12.18 $12.18

-17.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.46 $16.46

$14.83 $14.83

10.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$4.22 $4.22

-49.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.77 $5.77

-47.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.95 $2.95

-32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$106 $106

-40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.65 $2.65

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.72 $1.72

-24.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.20 $27.20

$29.72 $29.72

-8.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.49 $1.49

-32.89%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$35.9K $35.9K

-13.54%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.77%

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

$222 $222

$302 $302

-26.31%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$70.1 $70.1

-6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$85.3 $85.3

-20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.63 $35.63

$77.8 $77.8

-54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.46 $41.46

$34.58 $34.58

19.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 $13.23

$17.84 $17.84

-25.84%

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

$1,610 $1,610

$2,973 $2,973

-45.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K $33.9K

$31.3K $31.3K

8.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.89 $48.89

$76.6 $76.6

-36.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 $41.71

$54.1 $54.1

-22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$128 $128

-37.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$164 $164

-33.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,445 $2,445

-36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 $1,096

$1,947 $1,947

-43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 $2,398

$4,744 $4,744

-49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 $1,839

$3,469 $3,469

-46.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,398 $3,398

$7,367 $7,367

-53.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

$5,127 $5,127

-65.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,995 $3,995

$6,506 $6,506

-38.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.89

-3.63%

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

Last update for Columbus, OH: 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

Columbus, OH

$1.1K 44%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 77.5% $850

Groceries & Markets

Columbus, OH

$431 17.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 26.5% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Columbus, OH

$356 14.3%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 28.6% $102

Eating Out

Columbus, OH

$340 13.6%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 17.7% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Columbus, OH

$126 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 51.1% $64

Getting Around

Columbus, OH

$81 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 60.6% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Columbus, OH

$62 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 82.8% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,543 in Columbus, OH 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 $78.0 in Columbus, OH versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $546 – making Columbus, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

03:51 3:51 AM

3 h behind Columbus, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

905,748

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Columbus, OH Seattle, WA 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Columbus, OH
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

Columbus, OH vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 52% more than Columbus, OH, 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 $3,737 per month in Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, OH, 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 $2,491 in Columbus, OH and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 52%.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Columbus, OH. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,491 in Columbus, OH 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. Columbus, OH costs $2,491 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Columbus, OH. 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.