Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Elizabeth City, NC: $2,456 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Elizabeth City, NC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,456
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,782
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,456 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Elizabeth City, NC $2,456
  • Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,522 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Elizabeth City, NC $3,522
  • Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,588 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Elizabeth City, NC $4,588
  • Seattle, WA $7,489

Elizabeth City, NC is about 35% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Elizabeth City, NC and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Elizabeth City, NC by 81%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.95 $11.95
$24.52 $24.52
-51.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.93 $34.93
$98.2 $98.2
-64.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 $11.60
$14.79 $14.79
-21.57%
Cappuccino
$5.84 $5.84
$6.52 $6.52
-10.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.23 $3.23
-21.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$3.17 $3.17
-35.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.14 $6.14
$7.85 $7.85
-21.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 $7.09
$8.03 $8.03
-11.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.21 $1.21
-21.49%
White Bread (500g)
$3.65 $3.65
$5.14 $5.14
-28.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.00 $3.00
$6.05 $6.05
-50.41%
Eggs
$4.78 $4.78
$4.88 $4.88
-2.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.81 $10.81
$19.18 $19.18
-43.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.01 $10.01
$18.91 $18.91
-47.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.49 $17.49
$23.31 $23.31
-24.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$5.99 $5.99
-26.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.93 $1.93
-33.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.39 $4.39
$5.25 $5.25
-16.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.53 $4.53
$6.57 $6.57
-31.05%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$3.62 $3.62
-40.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$3.31 $3.31
-33.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 $2.01
$2.78 $2.78
-27.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.51 $2.51
-11.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.86 $8.86
$12.18 $12.18
-27.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.74 $14.74
$14.83 $14.83
-0.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 $2.12
$4.22 $4.22
-49.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$5.77 $5.77
-54.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 $1.81
$2.95 $2.95
-38.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$106 $106
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.65 $2.65
10.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.72 $1.72
12.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.19 $18.19
$29.72 $29.72
-38.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.49 $1.49
-32.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K $30.6K
$35.9K $35.9K
-14.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$26.2K $26.2K
-2.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 $183
$302 $302
-39.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.8 $56.8
$70.1 $70.1
-18.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.6 $59.6
$85.3 $85.3
-30.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.64 $45.64
$77.8 $77.8
-41.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.58 $34.58
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.06 $15.06
$17.84 $17.84
-15.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,491 $1,491
$2,973 $2,973
-49.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.9K $24.9K
$31.3K $31.3K
-20.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7 $54.7
$76.6 $76.6
-28.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.11 $40.11
$54.1 $54.1
-25.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 $87.8
$128 $128
-31.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 $143
$164 $164
-13.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,584 $1,584
$2,445 $2,445
-35.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,279 $1,279
$1,947 $1,947
-34.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 $2,494
$4,744 $4,744
-47.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,164 $2,164
$3,469 $3,469
-37.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,870 $2,870
$7,367 $7,367
-61.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,355 $2,355
$5,127 $5,127
-54.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elizabeth City, NC
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$6,506 $6,506
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.61
6.89
-4.06%

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

Last update for Elizabeth City, NC: 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
Elizabeth City, NC
$1.3K
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 52.3% $668
Groceries & Markets
Elizabeth City, NC
$373
Seattle, WA
$546 46.3% $173
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elizabeth City, NC
$299
Seattle, WA
$457 52.7% $158
Eating Out
Elizabeth City, NC
$264
Seattle, WA
$400 51.7% $136
Clothing & Footwear
Elizabeth City, NC
$146
Seattle, WA
$190 30.1% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Elizabeth City, NC
$76
Seattle, WA
$114 49.8% $38
Getting Around
Elizabeth City, NC
$20 *
Seattle, WA
$129 553% $109

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,584 in Elizabeth City, NC 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $546 – making Elizabeth City, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Elizabeth City, NC
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
20:42 8:42 PM
17:42 5:42 PM
3 h behind Elizabeth City, NC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,683
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elizabeth City, NC Seattle, WA 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Elizabeth City, NC
  • 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
Elizabeth City, NC vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Elizabeth City, NC and in Seattle, WA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,456 in Elizabeth City, NC, $3,782 in Seattle, WA – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Elizabeth City, NC compared to Seattle, WA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,685 per month in Elizabeth City, NC and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Elizabeth City, NC and Seattle, WA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elizabeth City, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,456 in Elizabeth City, NC and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Elizabeth City, NC and Seattle, WA?
It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,456 in Elizabeth City, NC to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Elizabeth City, NC and Seattle, WA?
If budget matters most, go with Elizabeth City, NC. 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.

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