Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dearborn, MI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dearborn, MI: $2,632 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Dearborn, MI
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Dearborn, MI Living Index
184

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

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Dearborn, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,632

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,632 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $2,632
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,808 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $3,808
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $4,985
Seattle, WA $7,489

Dearborn, MI is about 30% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dearborn, MI and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Dearborn, MI by 94%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$24.52 $24.52

-27.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 $61.8

$98.2 $98.2

-37.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$14.79 $14.79

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$6.52 $6.52

-15.34%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$3.23 $3.23

-17.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$7.85 $7.85

-22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.03 $8.03

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.21 $1.21

-33.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.14 $5.14

-34.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$6.05 $6.05

-26.94%

Eggs

$3.91 $3.91

$4.88 $4.88

-19.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$19.18 $19.18

-30.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$18.91 $18.91

-39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$23.31 $23.31

-30.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.99 $5.99

-17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.93 $1.93

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.25 $5.25

-22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.57 $6.57

-40.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.62 $3.62

-29.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.31 $3.31

-8.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.78 $2.78

-20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.51 $2.51

-16.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$12.18 $12.18

-17.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.83 $14.83

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.22 $4.22

-40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$5.77 $5.77

-40.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.95 $2.95

-30.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 $63.3

$106 $106

-40.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.65 $2.65

1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.72 $1.72

-11.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 $24.17

$29.72 $29.72

-18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.49 $1.49

-27.52%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-3.74%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.37%

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

$211 $211

$302 $302

-29.96%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$70.1 $70.1

-15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$85.3 $85.3

-18.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 $40.89

$77.8 $77.8

-47.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 $13.61

$17.84 $17.84

-23.71%

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

$1,272 $1,272

$2,973 $2,973

-57.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.3K $31.3K

2.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 $59.3

$76.6 $76.6

-22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 $41.93

$54.1 $54.1

-22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$128 $128

-23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$164 $164

-29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$2,445 $2,445

-34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,947 $1,947

-32.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$4,744 $4,744

-47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 $2,162

$3,469 $3,469

-37.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,892 $1,892

$7,367 $7,367

-74.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,903 $1,903

$5,127 $5,127

-62.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,705 $3,705

$6,506 $6,506

-43.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.89

-5.81%

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

Last update for Dearborn, MI: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dearborn, MI

$1.3K 49.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 48.9% $639

Groceries & Markets

Dearborn, MI

$388 14.7%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 40.7% $158

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dearborn, MI

$340 12.9%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 34.4% $117

Eating Out

Dearborn, MI

$305 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 31% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Dearborn, MI

$142 5.4%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 34.3% $49

Getting Around

Dearborn, MI

$82 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 58.1% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Dearborn, MI

$68 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 66.6% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Dearborn, MI 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 76% 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 $62.0 in Dearborn, MI versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $546 – making Dearborn, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dearborn, MI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

01:22 1:22 AM

22:22 10:22 PM

3 h behind Dearborn, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,382

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dearborn, MI Seattle, WA 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Dearborn, MI
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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

Dearborn, MI vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,948 per month in Dearborn, MI 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 Dearborn, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,272 per month in Dearborn, MI and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,632 in Dearborn, MI and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dearborn, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dearborn, MI. 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.