Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hillsboro, OR and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Hillsboro, OR: $2,859 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Hillsboro, OR
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Hillsboro, OR Living Index
185

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

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Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,859

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,859 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $2,859
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,884 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $3,884
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,908 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $4,908
Seattle, WA $7,603

Hillsboro, OR is about 25% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hillsboro, OR and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Hillsboro, OR by 112%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.13 $22.13

$25.32 $25.32

-12.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$101 $101

-41.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 $7.79

$14.85 $14.85

-47.54%

Cappuccino

$4.64 $4.64

$6.59 $6.59

-29.59%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$3.22 $3.22

-16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.14 $3.14

-32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$8.18 $8.18

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$8.03 $8.03

-25.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.21 $1.21

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.12 $5.12

-27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$6.30 $6.30

-15.24%

Eggs

$3.67 $3.67

$4.90 $4.90

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$19.10 $19.10

-47.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$18.50 $18.50

-24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$23.03 $23.03

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$5.81 $5.81

-36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.95 $1.95

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$5.29 $5.29

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$6.48 $6.48

-48.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.57 $3.57

-41.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.15 $3.15

-30.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.85 $2.85

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.42 $2.42

-20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$12.75 $12.75

-20.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 $13.62

$14.99 $14.99

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.17 $4.17

-57.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.99 $5.99

-41.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.04 $3.04

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 $99.5

$110 $110

-9.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.55 $2.55

92.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.64 $1.64

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$29.58 $29.58

0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.42 $1.42

-15.49%

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

$18.4K $18.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

-48.54%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-12.63%

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

$149 $149

$299 $299

-50.13%

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

$40.21 $40.21

$70.8 $70.8

-43.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.37 $47.37

$88.3 $88.3

-46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 $52.5

$79.5 $79.5

-33.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 $11.88

$35.37 $35.37

-66.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$17.12 $17.12

-19.74%

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

$1,225 $1,225

$3,013 $3,013

-59.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K $12.1K

$31.6K $31.6K

-61.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.14 $37.14

$77.2 $77.2

-51.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 $38.11

$55.1 $55.1

-30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$126 $126

-24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 $85.1

$163 $163

-47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 $1,921

$2,464 $2,464

-22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$1,956 $1,956

-18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$4,711 $4,711

-39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 $2,124

$3,550 $3,550

-40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,299 $3,299

$7,346 $7,346

-55.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,407 $3,407

$5,048 $5,048

-32.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 $4,745

$6,286 $6,286

-24.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

6.85

-9.20%

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

Last update for Hillsboro, OR: 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

Hillsboro, OR

$1.6K 56.1%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 22% $352

Groceries & Markets

Hillsboro, OR

$389 13.6%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 39.3% $153

Eating Out

Hillsboro, OR

$313 10.9%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 30.7% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hillsboro, OR

$237 8.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 93.5% $221

Getting Around

Hillsboro, OR

$123 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 8.6% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Hillsboro, OR

$115 4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 64.7% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Hillsboro, OR

$80 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 42.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,921 in Hillsboro, OR 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 32% 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 $59.0 in Hillsboro, OR versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $542 – making Hillsboro, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

22:42 10:42 PM

Same time as Hillsboro, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,447

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Hillsboro, OR Seattle, WA 240 km

From you

Hillsboro, OR
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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

Hillsboro, OR vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 33% more than Hillsboro, OR, 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 $4,289 per month in Hillsboro, OR 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 Hillsboro, OR, 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 $2,859 in Hillsboro, OR and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 33%.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Hillsboro, OR. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,859 in Hillsboro, OR and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hillsboro, OR costs $2,859 versus $3,800 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 Hillsboro, OR. 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.