Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Houston, TX: $2,702 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Houston, TX
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Houston, TX Living Index
185

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

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Houston, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,702

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,702 in Houston, TX versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Houston, TX $2,702
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,900 in Houston, TX versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Houston, TX $3,900
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,099 in Houston, TX versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Houston, TX $5,099
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Houston, TX costs roughly 29% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houston, TX 100% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 $21.09

$25.32 $25.32

-16.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$101 $101

-25.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$14.85 $14.85

-33.47%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$6.59 $6.59

-20.18%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.22 $3.22

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.14 $3.14

-25.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.18 $8.18

-28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.03 $8.03

0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.21 $1.21

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$5.12 $5.12

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$6.30 $6.30

-33.02%

Eggs

$3.49 $3.49

$4.90 $4.90

-28.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$19.10 $19.10

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$18.50 $18.50

-30.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 $16.37

$23.03 $23.03

-28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.81 $5.81

-30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.95 $1.95

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$5.29 $5.29

-43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.48 $6.48

-40.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.57 $3.57

-41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.15 $3.15

-14.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.85 $2.85

-32.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.42 $2.42

4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 $9.59

$12.75 $12.75

-24.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.99 $14.99

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$4.17 $4.17

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$5.99 $5.99

-49.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.04 $3.04

-57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 $76.1

$110 $110

-30.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.55 $2.55

16.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.64 $1.64

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.80 $23.80

$29.58 $29.58

-19.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.42 $1.42

-33.10%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.04%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

5.32%

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

$199 $199

$299 $299

-33.35%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$70.8 $70.8

-10.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$88.3 $88.3

-12.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.26 $39.26

$79.5 $79.5

-50.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.92 $20.92

$35.37 $35.37

-40.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$17.12 $17.12

-10.69%

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

$2,215 $2,215

$3,013 $3,013

-26.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$31.6K $31.6K

-29.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.72 $49.72

$77.2 $77.2

-35.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.52 $46.52

$55.1 $55.1

-15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$126 $126

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 $93.8

$163 $163

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 $1,658

$2,464 $2,464

-32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$1,956 $1,956

-30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,036 $3,036

$4,711 $4,711

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 $2,155

$3,550 $3,550

-39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,354 $2,354

$7,346 $7,346

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 $1,848

$5,048 $5,048

-63.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,449 $4,449

$6,286 $6,286

-29.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.85

-2.19%

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

Last update for Houston, TX: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Houston, TX

$1.4K 50.4%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 43.6% $594

Groceries & Markets

Houston, TX

$378 14%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 43.2% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Houston, TX

$340 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 34.9% $118

Eating Out

Houston, TX

$327 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 25% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Houston, TX

$133 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 42.3% $56

Getting Around

Houston, TX

$92 3.4%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 45.2% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Houston, TX

$70 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 62.9% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,658 in Houston, TX and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 41% 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: $75.0 in Houston, TX vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $542 per month, with Houston, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Houston, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:51 2:51 AM

00:51 12:51 AM

2 h behind Houston, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,304,580

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Houston, TX Seattle, WA 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Houston, TX
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

Houston, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Houston, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $1,658 in Houston, TX versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Houston, TX – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Houston, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Houston, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,702 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Houston, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Houston, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.