Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Denver, CO: $3,212 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

155

Cost of Living Index in Denver, CO
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Denver, CO Living Index
185

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

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Denver, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,212 in Denver, CO versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Denver, CO $3,212
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,651 in Denver, CO versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Denver, CO $4,651
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,090 in Denver, CO versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Denver, CO $6,090
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Denver, CO costs roughly 15% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 138% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$25.32 $25.32

-20.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 $85.2

$101 $101

-16.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 $11.74

$14.85 $14.85

-20.94%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$6.59 $6.59

-11.99%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$3.22 $3.22

-11.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.14 $3.14

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$8.18 $8.18

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$8.03 $8.03

1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.21 $1.21

-6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$5.12 $5.12

6.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$6.30 $6.30

13.02%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$4.90 $4.90

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$19.10 $19.10

-12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$18.50 $18.50

-8.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.44 $18.44

$23.03 $23.03

-19.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.81 $5.81

-12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.95 $1.95

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.29 $5.29

-10.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$6.48 $6.48

-17.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.57 $3.57

-27.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.15 $3.15

-13.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.85 $2.85

-16.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.42 $2.42

4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$12.75 $12.75

-16.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 $18.83

$14.99 $14.99

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.17 $4.17

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$5.99 $5.99

-39.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.04 $3.04

-10.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.0 $87.0

$110 $110

-20.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.55 $2.55

34.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.64 $1.64

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 $30.36

$29.58 $29.58

2.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.42 $1.42

-28.17%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

-2.55%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

0.07%

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

$166 $166

$299 $299

-44.59%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$70.8 $70.8

8.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 $70.3

$88.3 $88.3

-20.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 $60.6

$79.5 $79.5

-23.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.84 $24.84

$35.37 $35.37

-29.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$17.12 $17.12

-11.39%

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

$2,375 $2,375

$3,013 $3,013

-21.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.6K $33.6K

$31.6K $31.6K

6.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 $70.7

$77.2 $77.2

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.74 $45.74

$55.1 $55.1

-17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$126 $126

-19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$163 $163

-20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 $1,999

$2,464 $2,464

-18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$1,956 $1,956

-12.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,250 $3,250

$4,711 $4,711

-31.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,679 $2,679

$3,550 $3,550

-24.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,737 $5,737

$7,346 $7,346

-21.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,680 $3,680

$5,048 $5,048

-27.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,540 $4,540

$6,286 $6,286

-27.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.9

6.85

0.73%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: 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

Denver, CO

$1.7K 53%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 14.8% $253

Groceries & Markets

Denver, CO

$500 15.6%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 8.4% $42

Eating Out

Denver, CO

$339 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 20.4% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denver, CO

$313 9.8%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 46.3% $145

Clothing & Footwear

Denver, CO

$156 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 21.1% $33

Getting Around

Denver, CO

$110 3.4%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 21.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Denver, CO

$91 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 25.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,999 in Denver, CO and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Denver, CO vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $542 per month, with Denver, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Denver, CO

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:09 12:09 AM

23:09 11:09 PM

1 h behind Denver, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

715,522

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

Denver, CO Seattle, WA 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Denver, CO
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

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

Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $1,999 in Denver, CO versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $85.0 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 $2,000. Denver, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Denver, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,212 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Denver, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denver, CO and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Denver, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.