Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden, CO and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Golden, CO: $3,466 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

167

Cost of Living Index in Golden, CO
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Golden, CO Living Index
184

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

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Golden, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,466

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,466 per month in Golden, CO vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Golden, CO $3,466
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,184 per month in Golden, CO vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Golden, CO $3,184
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Golden, CO vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Golden, CO $2,903
Seattle, WA $7,489

Golden, CO is about 8% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Golden, CO and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Golden, CO by 156%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$24.52 $24.52

-17.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 $66.4

$98.2 $98.2

-32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$14.79 $14.79

-19.74%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$6.52 $6.52

-17.48%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$3.23 $3.23

-16.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.17 $3.17

-37.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 $5.89

$7.85 $7.85

-24.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$8.03 $8.03

-10.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.21 $1.21

-24.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.14 $5.14

-36.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.05 $6.05

-28.26%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.88 $4.88

-38.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$19.18 $19.18

-21.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$18.91 $18.91

-27.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$23.31 $23.31

-25.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.99 $5.99

-8.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.93 $1.93

-31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$5.25 $5.25

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$6.57 $6.57

-29.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.62 $3.62

-33.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.31 $3.31

-21.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.78 $2.78

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.51 $2.51

-21.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$12.18 $12.18

-17.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 $19.31

$14.83 $14.83

30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.22 $4.22

-21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.77 $5.77

-18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.95 $2.95

-9.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.65 $2.65

43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.72 $1.72

-17.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.66 $24.66

$29.72 $29.72

-17.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 $1.49

-31.54%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.47%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.34%

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

$200 $200

$302 $302

-33.81%

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

$93.5 $93.5

$70.1 $70.1

33.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$85.3 $85.3

-16.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$77.8 $77.8

-22.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$17.84 $17.84

-14.80%

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

$1,520 $1,520

$2,973 $2,973

-48.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

-20.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$76.6 $76.6

-24.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 $24.77

$54.1 $54.1

-54.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 $82.3

$128 $128

-35.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$164 $164

-36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$2,445 $2,445

-7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 $2,119

$1,947 $1,947

8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.89

-2.47%

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

Last update for Golden, CO: 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

Golden, CO

$2.1K 61.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 8.1% $173

Groceries & Markets

Golden, CO

$424 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 28.7% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Golden, CO

$364 10.5%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 25.5% $93

Eating Out

Golden, CO

$326 9.4%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 22.8% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Golden, CO

$121 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 57.5% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Golden, CO

$91 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 25% $23

Getting Around

Golden, CO

$22 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 497% $108

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,266 in Golden, CO 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Golden, CO versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $546 – making Golden, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Golden, CO

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

17:46 5:46 PM

16:46 4:46 PM

1 h behind Golden, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,399

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Golden, CO Seattle, WA 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Golden, CO
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

Golden, CO vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,466 in Golden, CO, $3,782 in Seattle, WA – roughly 9% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,199 per month in Golden, CO 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 Golden, CO, 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 $3,466 in Golden, CO and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 9%.

Kindergarten costs $1,520 per month in Golden, CO and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,466 in Golden, CO and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,466 in Golden, CO to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Golden, CO. 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.