Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in El Paso, TX: $2,120 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
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El Paso, TX Living Index
184

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

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El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,120

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,120 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

El Paso, TX $2,120
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,183 per month in El Paso, TX vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

El Paso, TX $3,183
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,246 per month in El Paso, TX vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

El Paso, TX $4,246
Seattle, WA $7,592

El Paso, TX is about 44% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both El Paso, TX and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – El Paso, TX by 56%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 $18.60

$25.30 $25.30

-26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 $78.2

$101 $101

-22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$14.76 $14.76

-17.14%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$6.50 $6.50

-6.00%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$3.21 $3.21

-25.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$3.14 $3.14

-50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$7.97 $7.97

-26.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$8.13 $8.13

-15.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.17 $1.17

-25.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.30 $5.30

-43.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$6.40 $6.40

-61.41%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$5.06 $5.06

-28.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$18.71 $18.71

-35.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$18.72 $18.72

-37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$22.88 $22.88

-43.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$6.06 $6.06

-42.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.95 $1.95

-25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$5.51 $5.51

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$6.52 $6.52

-45.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.49 $3.49

-38.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.29 $3.29

-13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.80 $2.80

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.58 $2.58

-39.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$12.49 $12.49

-21.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 $9.78

$14.87 $14.87

-34.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.19 $4.19

-52.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.80 $5.80

-15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.05 $3.05

-50.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 $48.34

$106 $106

-54.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.58 $2.58

-35.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.64 $1.64

-16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 $27.43

$30.12 $30.12

-8.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.41 $1.41

-35.46%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.08%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.24%

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

$162 $162

$308 $308

-47.45%

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

$72.6 $72.6

$69.2 $69.2

4.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$86.1 $86.1

-21.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.51 $17.51

$76.5 $76.5

-77.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.44 $8.44

$35.50 $35.50

-76.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$18.02 $18.02

-32.57%

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

$689 $689

$2,746 $2,746

-74.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,862 $6,862

$30.6K $30.6K

-77.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.41 $46.41

$79.2 $79.2

-41.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 $35.88

$54.3 $54.3

-33.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$127 $127

-18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$159 $159

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 $1,050

$2,508 $2,508

-58.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 $904

$1,938 $1,938

-53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$5,117 $5,117

-69.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 $1,497

$3,542 $3,542

-57.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 $1,983

$7,374 $7,374

-73.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 $1,681

$5,002 $5,002

-66.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,323 $3,323

$6,470 $6,470

-48.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.89

-5.52%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: 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

El Paso, TX

$904 42.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 115% $1K

Groceries & Markets

El Paso, TX

$329 15.5%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 66.1% $218

Eating Out

El Paso, TX

$317 15%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 28% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Paso, TX

$302 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 53.5% $161

Clothing & Footwear

El Paso, TX

$164 7.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 15.2% $25

Getting Around

El Paso, TX

$63 3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 105% $66

Sport & Entertainment

El Paso, TX

$42 2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 169% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in El Paso, TX versus $2,508 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 95% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in El Paso, TX versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $547 – making El Paso, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

20:22 8:22 PM

19:22 7:22 PM

1 h behind El Paso, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

678,815

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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Between locations

El Paso, TX Seattle, WA 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

El Paso, TX
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

El Paso, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 78% more than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,180 per month in El Paso, TX and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Paso, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,050 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,120 in El Paso, TX and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes El Paso, TX about 44% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 54% less in El Paso, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,120 in El Paso, TX and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward El Paso, TX – 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 El Paso, TX. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.