Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairbanks, AK: $3,000 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index
184

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

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Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $3,000
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $4,408
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,816 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $5,816
Seattle, WA $7,489

Fairbanks, AK is about 21% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fairbanks, AK and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Fairbanks, AK by 121%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$24.52 $24.52

2.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$98.2 $98.2

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.79 $14.79

3.25%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$6.52 $6.52

-6.90%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$3.23 $3.23

-17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.17 $3.17

-35.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 $6.83

$7.85 $7.85

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$8.03 $8.03

25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.21 $1.21

-6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.14 $5.14

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$6.05 $6.05

-20.99%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$4.88 $4.88

-10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.93 $21.93

$19.18 $19.18

14.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$18.91 $18.91

-54.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.87 $20.87

$23.31 $23.31

-10.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$5.99 $5.99

25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.93 $1.93

12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.25 $5.25

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$6.57 $6.57

-5.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.62 $3.62

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.31 $3.31

11.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.51 $2.51

-19.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.18 $12.18

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 $12.20

$14.83 $14.83

-17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$4.22 $4.22

-58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.95 $2.95

-48.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.60 $40.60

$106 $106

-61.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.65 $2.65

35.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.72 $1.72

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.97 $44.97

$29.72 $29.72

51.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.49 $1.49

-14.09%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-27.71%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-5.84%

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

$212 $212

$302 $302

-29.66%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$70.1 $70.1

-12.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$139 $139

$85.3 $85.3

63.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.0 $98.0

$77.8 $77.8

25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$18.10 $18.10

$17.84 $17.84

1.46%

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

$1,845 $1,845

$2,973 $2,973

-37.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$76.6 $76.6

-22.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 $39.78

$54.1 $54.1

-26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$128 $128

-6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$164 $164

-27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$2,445 $2,445

-34.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,947 $1,947

-29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 $2,580

$4,744 $4,744

-45.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$3,469 $3,469

-35.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 $2,244

$7,367 $7,367

-69.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,000 $2,000

$5,127 $5,127

-61.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,941 $3,941

$6,506 $6,506

-39.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

6.89

-2.61%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 41% $566

Groceries & Markets

Fairbanks, AK

$466 * 15.5%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 17.1% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairbanks, AK

$413 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 10.7% $44

Eating Out

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 1.8% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 24.9% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Fairbanks, AK

$134 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 15.4% $21

Getting Around

Fairbanks, AK

$61 2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 112% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Fairbanks, AK 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.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $466 in Fairbanks, AK vs $546 in Seattle, WA – so Fairbanks, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:21 6:21 AM

07:21 7:21 AM

1 h ahead of Fairbanks, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,515

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fairbanks, AK Seattle, WA 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Fairbanks, AK
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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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fairbanks, AK, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fairbanks, AK – 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 Fairbanks, AK. 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.