Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, NC and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Fayetteville, NC: $2,452 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Fayetteville, NC
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Fayetteville, NC Living Index
184

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

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Fayetteville, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,452

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,452 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $2,452
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $3,217
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $3,983 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $3,983
Seattle, WA $7,489

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.48 $18.48

$24.52 $24.52

-24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$98.2 $98.2

-38.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$14.79 $14.79

-19.54%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$6.52 $6.52

-23.01%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$3.23 $3.23

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.17 $3.17

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 $4.85

$7.85 $7.85

-38.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 $6.47

$8.03 $8.03

-19.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.21 $1.21

-33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.14 $5.14

-28.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$6.05 $6.05

-45.62%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$4.88 $4.88

-23.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$19.18 $19.18

-47.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$18.91 $18.91

-53.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$23.31 $23.31

-25.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.99 $5.99

-29.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.93 $1.93

14.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$5.25 $5.25

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.57 $6.57

-30.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.62 $3.62

-36.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.31 $3.31

-2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.78 $2.78

-34.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.51 $2.51

-20.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$12.18 $12.18

-28.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 $12.67

$14.83 $14.83

-14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.22 $4.22

-60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$5.77 $5.77

-48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.65 $2.65

-24.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.72 $1.72

31.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.83 $49.83

$29.72 $29.72

67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 $1.49

-31.54%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-26.10%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.91%

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

$182 $182

$302 $302

-39.54%

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

$71.1 $71.1

$70.1 $70.1

1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$85.3 $85.3

-26.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.15 $33.15

$77.8 $77.8

-57.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.29 $40.29

$34.58 $34.58

16.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.25 $13.25

$17.84 $17.84

-25.73%

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

$774 $774

$2,973 $2,973

-73.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-19.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$76.6 $76.6

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.58 $36.58

$54.1 $54.1

-32.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 $70.4

$128 $128

-45.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$164 $164

-29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 $1,198

$2,445 $2,445

-51.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 $1,286

$1,947 $1,947

-33.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$4,744 $4,744

-66.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$3,469 $3,469

-59.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 $1,876

$7,367 $7,367

-74.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 $1,521

$5,127 $5,127

-70.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,982 $2,982

$6,506 $6,506

-54.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

6.89

-8.27%

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

Last update for Fayetteville, NC: October 17, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fayetteville, NC

$1.3K 52.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 51.3% $660

Groceries & Markets

Fayetteville, NC

$356 14.5%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 53.1% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fayetteville, NC

$316 12.9%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 44.5% $141

Eating Out

Fayetteville, NC

$296 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 34.8% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Fayetteville, NC

$123 5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 54.2% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Fayetteville, NC

$60 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 90.3% $54

Getting Around

Fayetteville, NC

$13 * 0.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 868% $116

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,198 in Fayetteville, 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.

Salaries run about 118% 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 $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $546 – making Fayetteville, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fayetteville, NC

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:49 12:49 AM

21:49 9:49 PM

3 h behind Fayetteville, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

93,949

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Fayetteville, NC Seattle, WA 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fayetteville, 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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 54% more than Fayetteville, NC, 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 $3,678 per month in Fayetteville, NC 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 Fayetteville, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fayetteville, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,452, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Fayetteville, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fayetteville, NC costs $2,452 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fayetteville, 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.