Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Independence, MO and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, MO: $2,107 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Independence, MO
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Independence, MO Living Index
184

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

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Independence, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,107

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Independence, MO $2,107
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,070 in Independence, MO versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Independence, MO $3,070
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Independence, MO versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Independence, MO $4,033
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Independence, MO costs roughly 44% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Independence, MO 56% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 $20.09

$24.52 $24.52

-18.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 $77.2

$98.2 $98.2

-21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$14.79 $14.79

-14.33%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$6.52 $6.52

-21.01%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.23 $3.23

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$7.85 $7.85

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$8.03 $8.03

-8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.21 $1.21

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.14 $5.14

-38.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$6.05 $6.05

-27.27%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.88 $4.88

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 $11.44

$19.18 $19.18

-40.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$18.91 $18.91

-49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$23.31 $23.31

-41.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.99 $5.99

-24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.93 $1.93

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.25 $5.25

-16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$6.57 $6.57

-36.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.62 $3.62

-13.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.31 $3.31

-14.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.78 $2.78

-30.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.51 $2.51

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 $7.96

$12.18 $12.18

-34.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$4.22 $4.22

-57.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$5.77 $5.77

-31.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.65 $2.65

-6.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.72 $1.72

-26.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$29.72 $29.72

-14.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.49 $1.49

-34.23%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-10.36%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.89%

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

$252 $252

$302 $302

-16.65%

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

$64.3 $64.3

$70.1 $70.1

-8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$85.3 $85.3

-15.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$17.84 $17.84

-16.65%

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

$962 $962

$2,973 $2,973

-67.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$31.3K $31.3K

-37.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 $58.8

$76.6 $76.6

-23.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 $39.72

$54.1 $54.1

-26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$128 $128

-25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$164 $164

-24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$2,445 $2,445

-58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 $843

$1,947 $1,947

-56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 $2,045

$4,744 $4,744

-56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 $1,303

$3,469 $3,469

-62.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,495 $1,495

$7,367 $7,367

-79.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,516 $3,516

$6,506 $6,506

-45.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.89

-4.79%

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

Last update for Independence, MO: 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

Independence, MO

$843 40%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 131% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Independence, MO

$388 18.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 17.9% $69

Groceries & Markets

Independence, MO

$366 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 49.1% $180

Eating Out

Independence, MO

$329 15.6%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 21.4% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Independence, MO

$143 6.8%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 33.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Independence, MO

$30 * 1.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 282% $84

Getting Around

Independence, MO

$8.8 * 0.4%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1376% $121

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 $1,004 in Independence, MO and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 85% 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: $77.0 in Independence, MO vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $546 per month, with Independence, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Independence, MO

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:42 9:42 PM

19:42 7:42 PM

2 h behind Independence, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,213

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Independence, MO Seattle, WA 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Independence, MO
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

Independence, MO vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, MO and Seattle, WA differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($2,107 vs $3,782 including rent). Independence, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 85% 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: $1,004 in Independence, MO versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,107 per month in Independence, MO versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Independence, MO but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Independence, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Independence, MO 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 Independence, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.