Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Ithaca, NY: $2,893 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Ithaca, NY
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Ithaca, NY Living Index
184

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

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Ithaca, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,893

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,893 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $2,893
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,843 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $3,843
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,792 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $4,792
Seattle, WA $7,592

Ithaca, NY is about 24% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ithaca, NY and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Ithaca, NY by 113%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 $22.77

$25.30 $25.30

-10.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$101 $101

-21.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$14.76 $14.76

-26.63%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$6.50 $6.50

-21.69%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.21 $3.21

-18.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.14 $3.14

-35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$7.97 $7.97

-36.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.39 $9.39

$8.13 $8.13

15.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 $1.17

-12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.30 $5.30

-39.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.40 $6.40

10.78%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$5.06 $5.06

-21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$18.71 $18.71

-21.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$18.72 $18.72

-65.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$22.88 $22.88

-32.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$6.06 $6.06

-19.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.95 $1.95

-13.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$5.51 $5.51

-1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$6.52 $6.52

-26.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.49 $3.49

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.29 $3.29

13.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.80 $2.80

-18.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.58 $2.58

-20.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 $14.69

$12.49 $12.49

17.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 $14.20

$14.87 $14.87

-4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$4.19 $4.19

-55.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.80 $5.80

-31.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.05 $3.05

-49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 $45.49

$106 $106

-57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.58 $2.58

93.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 $1.64

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$30.12 $30.12

-2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.41 $1.41

-24.82%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-26.22%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

0.06%

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

$167 $167

$308 $308

-45.68%

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

$46.41 $46.41

$69.2 $69.2

-32.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$86.1 $86.1

-41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.65 $34.65

$76.5 $76.5

-54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 $10.82

$18.02 $18.02

-39.96%

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

$1,518 $1,518

$2,746 $2,746

-44.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K $16.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

-44.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.25 $47.25

$79.2 $79.2

-40.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 $39.06

$54.3 $54.3

-28.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$127 $127

-35.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$159 $159

-32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$2,508 $2,508

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 $1,661

$1,938 $1,938

-14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,044 $3,044

$5,117 $5,117

-40.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$3,542 $3,542

-43.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 $2,681

$7,374 $7,374

-63.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,035 $2,035

$5,002 $5,002

-59.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,468 $3,468

$6,470 $6,470

-46.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.89

-6.24%

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

Last update for Ithaca, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ithaca, NY

$1.7K 57.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 16.7% $277

Groceries & Markets

Ithaca, NY

$386 13.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 41.7% $161

Eating Out

Ithaca, NY

$339 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 20% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ithaca, NY

$264 9.1%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 75.3% $199

Clothing & Footwear

Ithaca, NY

$124 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52.7% $65

Getting Around

Ithaca, NY

$64 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 102% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Ithaca, NY

$56 2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 99.8% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,256 in Ithaca, NY 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 87% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Ithaca, NY versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $547 – making Ithaca, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ithaca, NY

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:17 4:17 AM

01:17 1:17 AM

3 h behind Ithaca, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,283

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ithaca, NY Seattle, WA 3,590 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Ithaca, NY
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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

Ithaca, NY vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,893 in Ithaca, NY, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Ithaca, NY comes out roughly 24% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,340 per month in Ithaca, NY 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 Ithaca, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,256 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Ithaca, NY and $101 in Seattle, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,893 in Ithaca, NY and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Ithaca, NY about 24% cheaper.

Families tend to lean toward Ithaca, NY – 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 Ithaca, NY. 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.