Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fargo, ND and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Fargo, ND: $2,127 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Fargo, ND
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Fargo, ND Living Index
184

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

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Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,127

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,127 per month in Fargo, ND vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fargo, ND $2,127
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Fargo, ND vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fargo, ND $3,227
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,327 per month in Fargo, ND vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fargo, ND $4,327
Seattle, WA $7,592

Fargo, ND is about 44% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fargo, ND and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Fargo, ND by 56%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 $17.17

$25.30 $25.30

-32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$101 $101

-41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 $11.95

$14.76 $14.76

-19.04%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$6.50 $6.50

-16.77%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$3.21 $3.21

-20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.14 $3.14

-38.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 $5.36

$7.97 $7.97

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.13 $8.13

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.17 $1.17

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.30 $5.30

-35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$6.40 $6.40

19.22%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$5.06 $5.06

-19.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$18.71 $18.71

-20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$18.72 $18.72

-17.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.08 $21.08

$22.88 $22.88

-7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$6.06 $6.06

69.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.95 $1.95

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$5.51 $5.51

18.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$6.52 $6.52

-17.18%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.49 $3.49

46.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.29 $3.29

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.80 $2.80

-30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.58 $2.58

6.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.60 $8.60

$12.49 $12.49

-31.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 $18.58

$14.87 $14.87

24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.19 $4.19

-37.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 $5.63

$5.80 $5.80

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.05 $3.05

-33.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.10 $42.10

$106 $106

-60.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.58 $2.58

77.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.41 $1.41

-31.21%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.63%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

-4.69%

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

$138 $138

$308 $308

-55.04%

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

$58.1 $58.1

$69.2 $69.2

-15.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 $56.5

$86.1 $86.1

-34.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 $52.0

$76.5 $76.5

-32.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$18.02 $18.02

-22.53%

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

$1,247 $1,247

$2,746 $2,746

-54.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.85 $49.85

$79.2 $79.2

-37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.16 $47.16

$54.3 $54.3

-13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$127 $127

-33.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$159 $159

-36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 $1,013

$2,508 $2,508

-59.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 $790

$1,938 $1,938

-59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$5,117 $5,117

-68.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$3,542 $3,542

-61.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,459 $2,459

$7,374 $7,374

-66.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,688 $1,688

$5,002 $5,002

-66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,858 $3,858

$6,470 $6,470

-40.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.89

-6.68%

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

Last update for Fargo, ND: 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

Fargo, ND

$790 37.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 145% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Fargo, ND

$522 24.6%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 4.7% $25

Eating Out

Fargo, ND

$300 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 35.2% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fargo, ND

$253 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 83% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Fargo, ND

$127 6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 48.7% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Fargo, ND

$80 3.8%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 40.8% $33

Getting Around

Fargo, ND

$55 * 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 135% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Fargo, ND 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 68% 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 $59 in Fargo, ND versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $522 vs $547 – making Fargo, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

12:45 12:45 PM

10:45 10:45 AM

2 h behind Fargo, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,056

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Fargo, ND Seattle, WA 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Fargo, ND
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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,191 per month in Fargo, ND 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 Fargo, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,013 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Fargo, ND and $101 in Seattle, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,127 in Fargo, ND and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Fargo, ND about 44% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,127 in Fargo, ND and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fargo, ND costs $2,127 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fargo, ND. 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.