Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, NH and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, NH: $3,465 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Dover, NH, United States
Seattle, WA, United States
Dover, NH
🇺🇸 United States
$3,465
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,465 in Dover, NH versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

  • Dover, NH $3,465
  • Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,143 in Dover, NH versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

  • Dover, NH $5,143
  • Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,821 in Dover, NH versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

  • Dover, NH $6,821
  • Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Dover, NH costs roughly 8% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dover, NH 155% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.82 $17.82
$25.30 $25.30
-29.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.7 $94.7
$101 $101
-6.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.16 $13.16
$14.76 $14.76
-10.84%
Cappuccino
$5.38 $5.38
$6.50 $6.50
-17.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$3.21 $3.21
-23.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$3.14 $3.14
-50.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.98 $4.98
$7.97 $7.97
-37.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94 $7.94
$8.13 $8.13
-2.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.17 $1.17
-10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$4.08 $4.08
$5.30 $5.30
-23.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$6.40 $6.40
-15.63%
Eggs
$4.79 $4.79
$5.06 $5.06
-5.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.39 $11.39
$18.71 $18.71
-39.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.13 $14.13
$18.72 $18.72
-24.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.67 $17.67
$22.88 $22.88
-22.77%
Apples (1kg)
$6.82 $6.82
$6.06 $6.06
12.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.95 $1.95
-10.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.79 $6.79
$5.51 $5.51
23.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$6.52 $6.52
-15.80%
Potato (1kg)
$6.69 $6.69
$3.49 $3.49
91.69%
Onion (1kg)
$5.80 $5.80
$3.29 $3.29
76.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.80 $2.80
6.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.97 $3.97
$2.58 $2.58
53.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.69 $13.69
$12.49 $12.49
9.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 $13.35
$14.87 $14.87
-10.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$4.19 $4.19
-50.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$5.80 $5.80
-27.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 $1.72
$3.05 $3.05
-43.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.8 $79.8
$106 $106
-24.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.58 $2.58
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.64 $1.64
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$30.12 $30.12
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.41 $1.41
-38.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$36.8K $36.8K
-26.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$26.6K $26.6K
-0.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$324 $324
$308 $308
5.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$98.8 $98.8
$69.2 $69.2
42.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$139 $139
$86.1 $86.1
61.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.7 $72.7
$76.5 $76.5
-4.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.60 $30.60
$35.50 $35.50
-13.80%
Cinema Ticket
$12.10 $12.10
$18.02 $18.02
-32.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,860 $1,860
$2,746 $2,746
-32.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K $19.8K
$30.6K $30.6K
-35.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 $56.2
$79.2 $79.2
-29.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.06 $39.06
$54.3 $54.3
-28.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 $79.9
$127 $127
-36.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 $101
$159 $159
-36.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,072 $2,072
$2,508 $2,508
-17.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,806 $1,806
$1,938 $1,938
-6.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,988 $3,988
$5,117 $5,117
-22.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,281 $3,281
$3,542 $3,542
-7.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,374 $7,374
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,002 $5,002
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dover, NH
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,836 $3,836
$6,470 $6,470
-40.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
6.89
-4.35%

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

Last update for Dover, NH: 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
Dover, NH
$1.8K
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 7.3% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dover, NH
$562
Seattle, WA
$463 17.6% $99
Groceries & Markets
Dover, NH
$486
Seattle, WA
$547 12.6% $61
Eating Out
Dover, NH
$303
Seattle, WA
$406 33.9% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Dover, NH
$124
Seattle, WA
$189 52% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Dover, NH
$97
Seattle, WA
$112 16.1% $16
Getting Around
Dover, NH
$87 *
Seattle, WA
$129 48.7% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,072 in Dover, NH and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 69% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $95 in Dover, NH vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $547 per month, with Dover, NH cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Dover, NH
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
14:11 2:11 PM
11:11 11:11 AM
3 h behind Dover, NH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
34,735
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dover, NH Seattle, WA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dover, NH
  • 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
Dover, NH vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dover, NH cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Dover, NH is about 8% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dover, NH or Seattle, WA?
On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Dover, NH. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Dover, NH and Seattle, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,072 in Dover, NH versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,860 in Dover, NH versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Dover, NH and in Seattle, WA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Dover, NH or in Seattle, WA?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Dover, NH is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Dover, NH or in Seattle, WA?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dover, NH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Dover, NH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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