Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellicott City, MD and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Ellicott City, MD: $3,488 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

167

Cost of Living Index in Ellicott City, MD
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Ellicott City, MD Living Index
184

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

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Ellicott City, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,488

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,488 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellicott City, MD $3,488
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,646 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellicott City, MD $4,646
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,804 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ellicott City, MD $5,804
Seattle, WA $7,592

Ellicott City, MD is about 8% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Ellicott City, MD and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Ellicott City, MD by 156%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 $18.21

$25.30 $25.30

-28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 $95.6

$101 $101

-5.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 $10.87

$14.76 $14.76

-26.36%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$6.50 $6.50

-16.92%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$3.21 $3.21

4.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.14 $3.14

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$7.97 $7.97

-12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.13 $8.13

-0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.30 $5.30

-22.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$6.40 $6.40

-40.47%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$5.06 $5.06

-9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 $16.91

$18.71 $18.71

-9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$18.72 $18.72

-30.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$22.88 $22.88

-19.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$6.06 $6.06

1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.95 $1.95

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.51 $5.51

-25.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$6.52 $6.52

-37.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.49 $3.49

-36.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.29 $3.29

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.80 $2.80

-16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.58 $2.58

-13.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 $13.49

$12.49 $12.49

8.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$14.87 $14.87

3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.19 $4.19

-36.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$5.80 $5.80

-45.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.58 $2.58

-31.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.64 $1.64

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$30.12 $30.12

-19.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.41 $1.41

-33.33%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$36.8K $36.8K

-37.33%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-9.32%

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

$208 $208

$308 $308

-32.29%

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

$49.91 $49.91

$69.2 $69.2

-27.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.9 $79.9

$86.1 $86.1

-7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$76.5 $76.5

46.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 $14.57

$18.02 $18.02

-19.15%

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

$1,921 $1,921

$2,746 $2,746

-30.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K $34.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

14.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$79.2 $79.2

-33.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$54.3 $54.3

4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 $93.5

$127 $127

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$159 $159

-29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,498 $2,498

$2,508 $2,508

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 $2,107

$1,938 $1,938

8.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,056 $3,056

$5,117 $5,117

-40.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,695 $2,695

$3,542 $3,542

-23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,635 $2,635

$5,002 $5,002

-47.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,000 $5,000

$6,470 $6,470

-22.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.89

-1.45%

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

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ellicott City, MD

$2.1K 60.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 8% $169

Groceries & Markets

Ellicott City, MD

$433 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 26.2% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ellicott City, MD

$338 9.7%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 36.9% $125

Eating Out

Ellicott City, MD

$318 9.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 27.7% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Ellicott City, MD

$142 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 33.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Ellicott City, MD

$141 4%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 20.2% $28

Getting Around

Ellicott City, MD

$8.5 * 0.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1419% $120

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,498 in Ellicott City, MD 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 29% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Ellicott City, MD versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $547 – making Ellicott City, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ellicott City, MD

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

18:28 6:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

3 h behind Ellicott City, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,834

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ellicott City, MD Seattle, WA 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Ellicott City, MD
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

Ellicott City, MD vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,232 per month in Ellicott City, MD and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,498 in Ellicott City, MD and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Ellicott City, MD about 8% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,921 per month in Ellicott City, MD and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ellicott City, MD. 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.