Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellensburg, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Ellensburg, WA: $2,404 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ellensburg, WA
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Ellensburg, WA Living Index
184

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

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Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,404

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,404 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $2,404
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $3,555
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,705 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $4,705
Seattle, WA $7,592

Ellensburg, WA is about 36% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ellensburg, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Ellensburg, WA by 77%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$25.30 $25.30

-39.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$101 $101

-25.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$14.76 $14.76

-17.82%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$6.50 $6.50

-22.46%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$3.21 $3.21

-52.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$3.14 $3.14

-59.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.97 $7.97

-38.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$8.13 $8.13

-25.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.17 $1.17

-16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.30 $5.30

-47.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.40 $6.40

-26.41%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$5.06 $5.06

-16.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$18.71 $18.71

-17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$18.72 $18.72

-64.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$22.88 $22.88

-40.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$6.06 $6.06

-24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.95 $1.95

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.51 $5.51

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$6.52 $6.52

-39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$3.49 $3.49

-56.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.29 $3.29

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.80 $2.80

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.58 $2.58

-25.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$12.49 $12.49

-20.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 $13.99

$14.87 $14.87

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$4.19 $4.19

-55.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.80 $5.80

-15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.05 $3.05

-32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 $57.6

$106 $106

-45.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.58 $2.58

97.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.64 $1.64

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.42 $39.42

$30.12 $30.12

30.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.41 $1.41

-26.24%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.07%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

2.63%

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

$149 $149

$308 $308

-51.50%

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

$39.60 $39.60

$69.2 $69.2

-42.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$86.1 $86.1

-17.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 $40.90

$76.5 $76.5

-46.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$15.93 $15.93

$18.02 $18.02

-11.60%

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

$1,356 $1,356

$2,746 $2,746

-50.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-29.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 $34.48

$79.2 $79.2

-56.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 $34.61

$54.3 $54.3

-36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$127 $127

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 $40.10

$159 $159

-74.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$2,508 $2,508

-35.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$1,938 $1,938

-34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,509 $2,509

$5,117 $5,117

-50.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$3,542 $3,542

-38.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,531 $4,531

$7,374 $7,374

-38.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 $4,418

$5,002 $5,002

-11.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 $1,785

$6,470 $6,470

-72.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.89

-5.66%

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

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ellensburg, WA

$1.3K 53.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 51.8% $661

Groceries & Markets

Ellensburg, WA

$349 14.5%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 56.7% $198

Eating Out

Ellensburg, WA

$267 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 52.3% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ellensburg, WA

$260 10.8%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 77.9% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Ellensburg, WA

$98 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 91.9% $90

Getting Around

Ellensburg, WA

$80 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 61.9% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Ellensburg, WA

$73 3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 54.6% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA 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 in Seattle, WA are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Ellensburg, WA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $547 – making Ellensburg, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

09:04 9:04 AM

Same time as Ellensburg, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,666

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Seattle, WA costs about 57% more than Ellensburg, WA, 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 $3,605 per month in Ellensburg, WA 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 Ellensburg, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,614 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Ellensburg, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,356 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA 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 Ellensburg, WA – 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 Ellensburg, WA. 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.