Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Forks, ND and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Forks, ND: $2,035 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Grand Forks, ND
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Grand Forks, ND Living Index
184

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

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Grand Forks, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,035

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,035 in Grand Forks, ND versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Grand Forks, ND $2,035
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,968 in Grand Forks, ND versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Grand Forks, ND $2,968
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,901 in Grand Forks, ND versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Grand Forks, ND $3,901
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Grand Forks, ND costs roughly 46% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grand Forks, ND 50% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.31 $21.31

$24.52 $24.52

-13.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$98.2 $98.2

-17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 $13.11

$14.79 $14.79

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$6.13 $6.13

$6.52 $6.52

-5.98%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.23 $3.23

-12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.17 $3.17

-6.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.85 $7.85

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 $5.96

$8.03 $8.03

-25.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.21 $1.21

-6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$5.14 $5.14

-29.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$6.05 $6.05

-25.95%

Eggs

$3.69 $3.69

$4.88 $4.88

-24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.28 $24.28

$19.18 $19.18

26.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.93 $1.93

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.25 $5.25

-15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$6.57 $6.57

-50.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.62 $3.62

-38.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.31 $3.31

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.78 $2.78

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.51 $2.51

-18.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$12.18 $12.18

-17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$35.08 $35.08

$14.83 $14.83

136.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$5.77 $5.77

5.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.95 $2.95

-49.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.18 $41.18

$106 $106

-61.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.65 $2.65

127.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.49 $1.49

-40.94%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

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

$26.2K $26.2K

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

$217 $217

$302 $302

-28.18%

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

$115 $115

$70.1 $70.1

63.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$85.3 $85.3

-14.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 $62.9

$77.8 $77.8

-19.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$17.84 $17.84

-15.70%

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

$586 $586

$2,973 $2,973

-80.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 $975

$2,445 $2,445

-60.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 $815

$1,947 $1,947

-58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 $1,564

$4,744 $4,744

-67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 $1,292

$3,469 $3,469

-62.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,664 $1,664

$7,367 $7,367

-77.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 $1,682

$5,127 $5,127

-67.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,125 $4,125

$6,506 $6,506

-36.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.89

-1.02%

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

Last update for Grand Forks, ND: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Grand Forks, ND

$815 40.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 139% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Grand Forks, ND

$404 19.9%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 13.2% $53

Eating Out

Grand Forks, ND

$343 16.9%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 16.6% $57

Groceries & Markets

Grand Forks, ND

$327 * 16.1%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 66.9% $219

Sport & Entertainment

Grand Forks, ND

$93 4.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 22.1% $21

Getting Around

Grand Forks, ND

$53 * 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 143% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Grand Forks, ND

- * 0%

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $975 in Grand Forks, ND and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Grand Forks, ND vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $546 per month, with Grand Forks, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Grand Forks, ND

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

05:52 5:52 AM

03:52 3:52 AM

2 h behind Grand Forks, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,372

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Grand Forks, ND Seattle, WA 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Grand Forks, 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

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

Grand Forks, ND wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grand Forks, ND the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $975 in Grand Forks, ND versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Grand Forks, ND runs roughly 158% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $586 in Grand Forks, ND versus $2,973 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,035 in Grand Forks, ND versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Grand Forks, ND but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Grand Forks, ND the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Grand Forks, ND delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,035 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grand Forks, ND hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Grand Forks, ND and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Grand Forks, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.