Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dallas, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,898 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index
184

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

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Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,898 per month in Dallas, TX vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $2,898
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,315 per month in Dallas, TX vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $4,315
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,733 per month in Dallas, TX vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $5,733
Seattle, WA $7,592

Dallas, TX is about 23% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dallas, TX and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Dallas, TX by 113%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.61 $20.61

$25.30 $25.30

-18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 $91.3

$101 $101

-9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$14.76 $14.76

-18.09%

Cappuccino

$6.31 $6.31

$6.50 $6.50

-2.92%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$3.21 $3.21

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.14 $3.14

-24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$7.97 $7.97

-2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$8.13 $8.13

-4.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 $1.17

-12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.30 $5.30

-39.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.40 $6.40

-24.53%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$5.06 $5.06

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$18.71 $18.71

-30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$18.72 $18.72

-39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 $18.41

$22.88 $22.88

-19.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.06 $6.06

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.95 $1.95

-21.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$5.51 $5.51

-9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$6.52 $6.52

-35.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.49 $3.49

-34.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.29 $3.29

-3.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.80 $2.80

-27.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.58 $2.58

13.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$12.49 $12.49

-18.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 $16.24

$14.87 $14.87

9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.19 $4.19

-15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.80 $5.80

-20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.05 $3.05

-3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$106 $106

19.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.58 $2.58

18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.64 $1.64

8.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 $23.84

$30.12 $30.12

-20.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.41 $1.41

-27.66%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-0.56%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

5.31%

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

$198 $198

$308 $308

-35.63%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$69.2 $69.2

-15.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$86.1 $86.1

-24.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 $57.3

$76.5 $76.5

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.77 $20.77

$35.50 $35.50

-41.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$18.02 $18.02

-16.26%

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

$2,028 $2,028

$2,746 $2,746

-26.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-21.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 $64.7

$79.2 $79.2

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.46 $49.46

$54.3 $54.3

-8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$127 $127

-3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$159 $159

-14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$2,508 $2,508

-27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 $1,389

$1,938 $1,938

-28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,084 $4,084

$5,117 $5,117

-20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$3,542 $3,542

-33.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,624 $8,624

$7,374 $7,374

16.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,953 $2,953

$5,002 $5,002

-40.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,493 $4,493

$6,470 $6,470

-30.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.89

-0.44%

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

Last update for Dallas, TX: 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

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 39.5% $549

Groceries & Markets

Dallas, TX

$427 14.8%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 28% $120

Eating Out

Dallas, TX

$354 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 14.8% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dallas, TX

$322 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 43.8% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Dallas, TX

$168 5.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 12.4% $21

Getting Around

Dallas, TX

$150 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 14.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Dallas, TX

$87 3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 28.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,817 in Dallas, TX versus $2,508 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 44% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in Dallas, TX versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $547 – making Dallas, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

09:53 9:53 AM

07:53 7:53 AM

2 h behind Dallas, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,302,638

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

Dallas, TX Seattle, WA 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Dallas, TX
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

Dallas, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Dallas, TX, 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 $4,347 per month in Dallas, TX and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dallas, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,817 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,028 per month in Dallas, TX and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,898 in Dallas, TX and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dallas, TX costs $2,898 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dallas, TX. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.