Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duluth, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Duluth, MN: $2,233 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, MN
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Duluth, MN Living Index
184

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

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Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,233

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,233 per month in Duluth, MN vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $2,233
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Duluth, MN vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $3,579
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,925 per month in Duluth, MN vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Duluth, MN $4,925
Seattle, WA $7,489

Duluth, MN is about 41% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Duluth, MN and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Duluth, MN by 65%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$24.52 $24.52

-19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 $66.8

$98.2 $98.2

-31.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$14.79 $14.79

-31.91%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$6.52 $6.52

-17.94%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$3.23 $3.23

-22.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$3.17 $3.17

-41.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 $6.45

$7.85 $7.85

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.03 $8.03

-2.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.21 $1.21

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$5.14 $5.14

-44.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.05 $6.05

-35.87%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$4.88 $4.88

-24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$19.18 $19.18

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$18.91 $18.91

-44.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$23.31 $23.31

-19.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.99 $5.99

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.93 $1.93

-23.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$5.25 $5.25

-49.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$6.57 $6.57

-32.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$3.62 $3.62

-69.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.31 $3.31

-34.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.78 $2.78

-57.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.51 $2.51

-42.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.06 $13.06

$12.18 $12.18

7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 $15.92

$14.83 $14.83

7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.22 $4.22

-58.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.77 $5.77

-51.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.95 $2.95

-37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 $39.24

$106 $106

-63.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.65 $2.65

84.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.72 $1.72

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.73 $23.73

$29.72 $29.72

-20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.49 $1.49

-35.57%

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

$22.1K $22.1K

$35.9K $35.9K

-38.41%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-10.38%

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

$177 $177

$302 $302

-41.43%

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

$44.52 $44.52

$70.1 $70.1

-36.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$85.3 $85.3

-20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 $63.2

$77.8 $77.8

-18.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 $25.71

$34.58 $34.58

-25.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 $11.23

$17.84 $17.84

-37.05%

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

$1,029 $1,029

$2,973 $2,973

-65.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$31.3K $31.3K

-67.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$76.6 $76.6

-25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 $43.48

$54.1 $54.1

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$128 $128

-21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 $85.4

$164 $164

-47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$2,445 $2,445

-47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$1,947 $1,947

-48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,334 $2,334

$4,744 $4,744

-50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$3,469 $3,469

-36.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 $2,195

$7,367 $7,367

-70.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 $2,215

$5,127 $5,127

-56.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,783 $3,783

$6,506 $6,506

-41.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.89

-10.16%

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

Last update for Duluth, MN: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Duluth, MN

$1K 44.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 94.5% $946

Groceries & Markets

Duluth, MN

$351 15.7%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 55.6% $195

Eating Out

Duluth, MN

$318 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 25.7% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duluth, MN

$289 13%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 58.1% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Duluth, MN

$129 5.8%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 47.4% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Duluth, MN

$86 3.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 32.5% $28

Getting Around

Duluth, MN

$59 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 119% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,287 in Duluth, MN 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 72% 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 $67.0 in Duluth, MN versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $546 – making Duluth, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

05:50 5:50 AM

03:50 3:50 AM

2 h behind Duluth, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,265

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Duluth, MN Seattle, WA 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Duluth, MN
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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

Duluth, MN vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,349 per month in Duluth, MN 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 Duluth, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,233 in Duluth, MN and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 69%.

Public transport costs about 171% less in Duluth, MN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Duluth, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,233, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Duluth, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duluth, MN – 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 Duluth, MN. 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.