Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Federal Way, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Federal Way, WA: $3,324 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index
185

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

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Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,324

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $3,324
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $4,324
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $5,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $5,324
Seattle, WA $7,603

Federal Way, WA is about 13% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Federal Way, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Federal Way, WA by 146%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.74 $24.74

$25.32 $25.32

-2.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$101 $101

-25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 $12.56

$14.85 $14.85

-15.42%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$6.59 $6.59

-11.68%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$3.22 $3.22

-9.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.14 $3.14

-46.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$8.18 $8.18

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.03 $8.03

-11.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.21 $1.21

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.12 $5.12

-20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$6.30 $6.30

-51.59%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$4.90 $4.90

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$19.10 $19.10

-14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$18.50 $18.50

-43.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 $19.36

$23.03 $23.03

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$5.81 $5.81

-11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 $1.95

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.29 $5.29

-18.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$6.48 $6.48

-28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.57 $3.57

-24.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.15 $3.15

-24.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.85 $2.85

-21.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.42 $2.42

7.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.08 $13.08

$12.75 $12.75

2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.99 $14.99

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$4.17 $4.17

-58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.99 $5.99

-19.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.04 $3.04

-12.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.55 $2.55

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.64 $1.64

1.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$29.58 $29.58

0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.42 $1.42

-7.04%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.86%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.53%

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

$157 $157

$299 $299

-47.36%

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

$76.9 $76.9

$70.8 $70.8

8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$88.3 $88.3

-0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.95 $12.95

$79.5 $79.5

-83.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 $11.79

$17.12 $17.12

-31.13%

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

$1,446 $1,446

$3,013 $3,013

-52.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$31.6K $31.6K

1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.83 $45.83

$77.2 $77.2

-40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.65 $44.65

$55.1 $55.1

-18.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 $84.4

$126 $126

-32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$163 $163

-38.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 $2,017

$2,464 $2,464

-18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 $2,025

$1,956 $1,956

3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,773 $2,773

$4,711 $4,711

-41.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$3,550 $3,550

-31.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$6,286 $6,286

-29.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.85

-3.07%

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

Last update for Federal Way, WA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 3.4% $69

Groceries & Markets

Federal Way, WA

$421 12.7%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 28.7% $121

Eating Out

Federal Way, WA

$373 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 9.5% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Federal Way, WA

$322 9.7%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 42.2% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52.8% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 211% $77

Getting Around

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 517% $111

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,017 in Federal Way, WA versus $2,464 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 42% 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 $76.0 in Federal Way, WA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $542 – making Federal Way, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:20 9:20 PM

Same time as Federal Way, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,030

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Federal Way, WA Seattle, WA 32 km

From you

Federal Way, WA
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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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,985 per month in Federal Way, WA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,324 in Federal Way, WA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 14%.

Kindergarten costs $1,446 per month in Federal Way, WA and $3,013 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 $3,324 in Federal Way, WA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Federal Way, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Federal Way, 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.