Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, IL: $1,725 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, IL
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Decatur, IL Living Index
185

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

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Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,725

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,725 per month in Decatur, IL vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Decatur, IL $1,725
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Decatur, IL vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Decatur, IL $2,654
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Decatur, IL vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Decatur, IL $3,582
Seattle, WA $7,603

Decatur, IL is about 55% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Decatur, IL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Decatur, IL by 28%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$25.32 $25.32

-21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$101 $101

-17.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$14.85 $14.85

-41.14%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$6.59 $6.59

-17.91%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$3.22 $3.22

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.14 $3.14

-47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$8.18 $8.18

-38.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.03 $8.03

-23.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.21 $1.21

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$5.12 $5.12

-40.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$6.30 $6.30

-67.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.90 $4.90

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$19.10 $19.10

-27.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$18.50 $18.50

-19.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$23.03 $23.03

-43.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.81 $5.81

-25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.95 $1.95

3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$5.29 $5.29

-23.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$6.48 $6.48

-49.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$3.57 $3.57

-74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$3.15 $3.15

-65.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.85 $2.85

-48.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.42 $2.42

26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.87 $15.87

$12.75 $12.75

24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$14.99 $14.99

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$4.17 $4.17

-47.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$5.99 $5.99

-66.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.55 $2.55

24.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 $1.64

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 $25.28

$29.58 $29.58

-14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.42 $1.42

-18.31%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

3.37%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.21%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$299 $299

-71.36%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$70.8 $70.8

-5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$88.3 $88.3

-31.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 $74.7

$79.5 $79.5

-6.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$17.12 $17.12

-30.96%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$3,013 $3,013

-49.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$31.6K $31.6K

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$77.2 $77.2

-11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 $51.5

$55.1 $55.1

-6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$126 $126

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$163 $163

-11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

$2,464 $2,464

-64.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$1,956 $1,956

-71.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 $993

$4,711 $4,711

-78.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$3,550 $3,550

-77.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$940 $940

$7,346 $7,346

-87.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 $941

$5,048 $5,048

-81.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,599 $4,599

$6,286 $6,286

-26.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.85

-1.17%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, IL

$551 31.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 255% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, IL

$385 22.3%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 40.8% $157

Eating Out

Decatur, IL

$304 17.6%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 34.5% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, IL

$213 12.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 115% $245

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, IL

$164 9.5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 15.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, IL

$98 5.7%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 15.7% $15

Getting Around

Decatur, IL

$10 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 1194% $123

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Decatur, IL versus $2,464 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 37% 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 $83.0 in Decatur, IL versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $542 – making Decatur, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

17:30 5:30 PM

15:30 3:30 PM

2 h behind Decatur, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Decatur, IL Seattle, WA 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Decatur, IL
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

Decatur, IL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 per month in Decatur, IL and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Decatur, IL and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Decatur, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,725, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In Decatur, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Decatur, IL. 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.