Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Idaho Falls, ID and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Idaho Falls, ID: $2,315 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Idaho Falls, ID
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Idaho Falls, ID Living Index
184

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

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Idaho Falls, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,315

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,315 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Idaho Falls, ID $2,315
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,380 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Idaho Falls, ID $3,380
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,446 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Idaho Falls, ID $4,446
Seattle, WA $7,592

Idaho Falls, ID is about 39% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Idaho Falls, ID and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Idaho Falls, ID by 70%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 $17.72

$25.30 $25.30

-29.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 $51.9

$101 $101

-48.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 $10.09

$14.76 $14.76

-31.64%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$6.50 $6.50

-22.77%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$3.21 $3.21

-29.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$3.14 $3.14

-50.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$7.97 $7.97

-48.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$8.13 $8.13

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.17 $1.17

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.30 $5.30

-26.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$6.40 $6.40

-53.59%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$5.06 $5.06

-18.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$18.71 $18.71

-37.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$18.72 $18.72

-65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$22.88 $22.88

-57.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$6.06 $6.06

-64.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.95 $1.95

-35.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$5.51 $5.51

-62.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$6.52 $6.52

-67.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.49 $3.49

-51.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.29 $3.29

-25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.80 $2.80

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.58 $2.58

-27.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 $10.36

$12.49 $12.49

-17.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$14.87 $14.87

-50.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$4.19 $4.19

-57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$5.80 $5.80

-73.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.58 $2.58

-1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.64 $1.64

43.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.09 $25.09

$30.12 $30.12

-16.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.41 $1.41

-21.28%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$36.8K $36.8K

-6.84%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.67%

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

$173 $173

$308 $308

-43.85%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$69.2 $69.2

-23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$86.1 $86.1

-25.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.67 $38.67

$76.5 $76.5

-49.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 $11.42

$18.02 $18.02

-36.63%

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

$957 $957

$2,746 $2,746

-65.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K $20.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-32.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 $41.75

$79.2 $79.2

-47.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 $44.87

$54.3 $54.3

-17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$127 $127

-44.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 $96.4

$159 $159

-39.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 $1,323

$2,508 $2,508

-47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 $1,266

$1,938 $1,938

-34.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

$5,117 $5,117

-59.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$3,542 $3,542

-37.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,923 $1,923

$7,374 $7,374

-73.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 $1,946

$5,002 $5,002

-61.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,499 $3,499

$6,470 $6,470

-45.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

6.89

-11.18%

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

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Idaho Falls, ID

$1.3K 54.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 53.1% $673

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Idaho Falls, ID

$289 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 60% $174

Eating Out

Idaho Falls, ID

$282 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 43.9% $124

Groceries & Markets

Idaho Falls, ID

$275 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 98.7% $272

Clothing & Footwear

Idaho Falls, ID

$114 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 65.6% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Idaho Falls, ID

$62 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 82.9% $51

Getting Around

Idaho Falls, ID

$26 * 1.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 388% $103

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,323 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $2,508 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 85% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $547 – making Idaho Falls, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:01 2:01 PM

13:01 1:01 PM

1 h behind Idaho Falls, ID

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

61,459

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Idaho Falls, ID Seattle, WA 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Idaho Falls, ID
Seattle, WA

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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

Idaho Falls, ID vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,472 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Idaho Falls, ID, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,323 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,315 in Idaho Falls, ID and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Idaho Falls, ID about 39% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $957 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Idaho Falls, ID – 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 Idaho Falls, ID. 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.