Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Flagstaff, AZ and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Flagstaff, AZ: $2,981 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Flagstaff, AZ
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Flagstaff, AZ Living Index
184

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

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Flagstaff, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,981

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,981 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $2,981
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $4,349 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $4,349
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,716 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $5,716
Seattle, WA $7,489

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

Both Flagstaff, AZ and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Flagstaff, AZ by 120%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$24.52 $24.52

-17.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$98.2 $98.2

-19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.24 $14.24

$14.79 $14.79

-3.72%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$6.52 $6.52

-6.13%

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

$3.23 $3.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.17 $3.17

-24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.85 $7.85

-23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$8.03 $8.03

-15.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.21 $1.21

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 $2.62

$5.14 $5.14

-49.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$6.05 $6.05

-28.43%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.88 $4.88

-8.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$19.18 $19.18

-25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.29 $7.29

$18.91 $18.91

-61.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$23.31 $23.31

-52.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$5.99 $5.99

-35.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.93 $1.93

-2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$5.25 $5.25

-32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$6.57 $6.57

-40.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.62 $3.62

-37.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.31 $3.31

-32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.78 $2.78

-17.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.51 $2.51

0.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 $10.48

$12.18 $12.18

-13.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$14.83 $14.83

-19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.22 $4.22

-49.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$5.77 $5.77

-59.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.95 $2.95

-67.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.11 $32.11

$106 $106

-69.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.65 $2.65

5.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.72 $1.72

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.93 $35.93

$29.72 $29.72

20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.49 $1.49

-20.81%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.9K $35.9K

0.15%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.42%

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

$240 $240

$302 $302

-20.45%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$70.1 $70.1

-25.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$85.3 $85.3

-9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 $69.6

$77.8 $77.8

-10.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.61 $19.61

$34.58 $34.58

-43.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$17.84 $17.84

-21.92%

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

$1,812 $1,812

$2,973 $2,973

-39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-26.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$76.6 $76.6

-19.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 $35.32

$54.1 $54.1

-34.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$128 $128

-13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$164 $164

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 $2,013

$2,445 $2,445

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$1,947 $1,947

-16.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,384 $3,384

$4,744 $4,744

-28.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,469 $3,469

-19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,436 $4,436

$7,367 $7,367

-39.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 $4,112

$5,127 $5,127

-19.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 $3,884

$6,506 $6,506

-40.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.89

-6.24%

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

Last update for Flagstaff, AZ: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Flagstaff, AZ

$1.6K 54.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 19.2% $313

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Flagstaff, AZ

$370 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 23.7% $88

Eating Out

Flagstaff, AZ

$344 11.5%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 16.3% $56

Groceries & Markets

Flagstaff, AZ

$336 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 62.2% $209

Clothing & Footwear

Flagstaff, AZ

$155 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 22.7% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Flagstaff, AZ

$97 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 16.5% $16

Getting Around

Flagstaff, AZ

$46 1.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 182% $83

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,013 in Flagstaff, AZ 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 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 $79.0 in Flagstaff, AZ versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $546 – making Flagstaff, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Flagstaff, AZ

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

11:30 11:30 AM

Same time as Flagstaff, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,831

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

Flagstaff, AZ Seattle, WA 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Flagstaff, AZ
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

Flagstaff, AZ vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 27% more than Flagstaff, AZ, 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 $4,472 per month in Flagstaff, AZ 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 Flagstaff, AZ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 231% less in Flagstaff, AZ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,812 per month in Flagstaff, AZ and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,981 in Flagstaff, AZ and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Flagstaff, AZ costs $2,981 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 Flagstaff, AZ. 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.