Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton, MT and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamilton, MT: $2,220 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton, MT
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Hamilton, MT Living Index
182

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

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Hamilton, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,220

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,220 per month in Hamilton, MT vs $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hamilton, MT $2,220
Seattle, WA $3,762

A couple spends around $3,644 per month in Hamilton, MT vs $5,651 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hamilton, MT $3,644
Seattle, WA $5,651

A family of three spends $5,068 per month in Hamilton, MT vs $7,541 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hamilton, MT $5,068
Seattle, WA $7,541

Hamilton, MT is about 41% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hamilton, MT and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Hamilton, MT by 64%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.54 $37.54

$23.80 $23.80

57.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$98.6 $98.6

-30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 $11.34

$14.94 $14.94

-24.10%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$6.79 $6.79

-22.68%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.23 $3.23

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.15 $3.15

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.21 $8.21

-25.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 $7.06

$7.87 $7.87

-10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.17 $1.17

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.29 $5.29

-34.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.76 $5.76

-20.83%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$4.89 $4.89

-14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$20.25 $20.25

-39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$17.95 $17.95

-30.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$23.35 $23.35

-17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.94 $5.94

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.89 $1.89

-31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$5.35 $5.35

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$6.57 $6.57

-29.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.39 $3.39

-18.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.88 $2.88

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.89 $2.89

-27.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.43 $2.43

-10.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$12.18 $12.18

-10.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$15.24 $15.24

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$4.38 $4.38

-51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.89 $5.89

-40.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.96 $2.96

-31.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 $62.3

$109 $109

-42.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.52 $2.52

24.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.72 $1.72

6.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.18 $32.18

$29.70 $29.70

8.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.51 $1.51

-31.79%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$36.2K $36.2K

-18.29%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.79%

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

$202 $202

$289 $289

-30.10%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$69.1 $69.1

-14.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.5 $89.5

$84.8 $84.8

5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.28 $40.28

$69.4 $69.4

-41.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 $13.00

$17.97 $17.97

-27.66%

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

$1,307 $1,307

$2,819 $2,819

-53.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$43.9K $43.9K

-48.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$91.2 $91.2

-41.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.47 $47.47

$55.1 $55.1

-13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$127 $127

-30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$162 $162

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 $1,172

$2,579 $2,579

-54.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 $713

$1,943 $1,943

-63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 $2,379

$5,100 $5,100

-53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 $1,802

$3,541 $3,541

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,261 $2,261

$7,357 $7,357

-69.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,356 $2,356

$4,921 $4,921

-52.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,528 $3,528

$6,448 $6,448

-45.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.29

6.8

7.21%

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

Last update for Hamilton, MT: November 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hamilton, MT

$713 32.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 172% $1.2K

Eating Out

Hamilton, MT

$461 20.8%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 13.4% $62

Groceries & Markets

Hamilton, MT

$410 18.5%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 32.7% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hamilton, MT

$350 15.8%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 26.4% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Hamilton, MT

$137 6.2%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 43.4% $59

Getting Around

Hamilton, MT

$83 3.7%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 59.9% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Hamilton, MT

$66 3%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 59% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,172 in Hamilton, MT versus $2,579 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 83% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Hamilton, MT versus $99 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $544 – making Hamilton, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hamilton, MT

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:01 7:01 PM

18:01 6:01 PM

1 h behind Hamilton, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,447

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Hamilton, MT Seattle, WA 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hamilton, MT
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

Hamilton, MT vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,220 in Hamilton, MT, $3,762 in Seattle, WA – Hamilton, MT comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,330 per month in Hamilton, MT and $5,642 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamilton, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,172 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,220 in Hamilton, MT and $3,762 in Seattle, WA. That makes Hamilton, MT about 41% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Hamilton, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hamilton, MT, where all-in costs run around $2,220, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Hamilton, MT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Hamilton, MT. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.