Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Durham, NC: $2,423 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Durham, NC
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Durham, NC Living Index
184

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

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Durham, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,423

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,423 in Durham, NC versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Durham, NC $2,423
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,700 in Durham, NC versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Durham, NC $3,700
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,978 in Durham, NC versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Durham, NC $4,978
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Durham, NC costs roughly 36% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham, NC 78% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 $15.31

$25.30 $25.30

-39.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 $106

$101 $101

4.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$14.76 $14.76

-32.52%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$6.50 $6.50

-26.31%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.21 $3.21

-5.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.14 $3.14

-33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$7.97 $7.97

-22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.13 $8.13

-12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.17 $1.17

-3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.30 $5.30

-11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.40 $6.40

-29.38%

Eggs

$3.45 $3.45

$5.06 $5.06

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$18.71 $18.71

1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$18.72 $18.72

-9.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 $17.05

$22.88 $22.88

-25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$6.06 $6.06

-6.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.95 $1.95

-6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$5.51 $5.51

-29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$6.52 $6.52

-29.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.49 $3.49

-34.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.29 $3.29

18.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.80 $2.80

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.58 $2.58

-24.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.57 $8.57

$12.49 $12.49

-31.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$14.87 $14.87

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$4.19 $4.19

-63.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$5.80 $5.80

-30.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.58 $2.58

-24.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.64 $1.64

-63.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.41 $1.41

-28.37%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$36.8K $36.8K

-16.02%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.05%

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

$226 $226

$308 $308

-26.47%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$69.2 $69.2

-17.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$86.1 $86.1

-16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 $51.5

$76.5 $76.5

-32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 $12.36

$18.02 $18.02

-31.41%

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

$1,567 $1,567

$2,746 $2,746

-42.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.29 $45.29

$79.2 $79.2

-42.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 $35.33

$54.3 $54.3

-34.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$127 $127

-28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$159 $159

-15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$2,508 $2,508

-40.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 $1,118

$1,938 $1,938

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 $2,272

$5,117 $5,117

-55.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$3,542 $3,542

-44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,463 $3,463

$7,374 $7,374

-53.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,420 $2,420

$5,002 $5,002

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,786 $4,786

$6,470 $6,470

-26.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.89

-1.16%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Durham, NC

$1.1K 46.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 73.4% $820

Groceries & Markets

Durham, NC

$456 18.8%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 19.9% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Durham, NC

$355 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 30.6% $108

Eating Out

Durham, NC

$276 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 47.4% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Durham, NC

$137 5.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 37.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Durham, NC

$76 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 47.6% $36

Getting Around

Durham, NC

$5 * 0.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 2495% $124

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 $1,502 in Durham, NC and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 35% 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: $106 in Durham, NC vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $456 vs $547, with Durham, NC cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Durham, NC

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

01:14 1:14 AM

22:14 10:14 PM

3 h behind Durham, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

283,506

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Durham, NC Seattle, WA 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Durham, NC
Seattle, WA

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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

Durham, NC vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durham, NC wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Durham, NC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Durham, NC. 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: $1,502 in Durham, NC versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $2,423 per month in Durham, NC versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Durham, NC is about 36% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Durham, NC 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 Durham, NC delivers better value at $2,423 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durham, NC hard to pass up.

It comes down to priorities – Durham, NC wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.