Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Janesville, WI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Janesville, WI: $2,656 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Janesville, WI
Learn more

Janesville, WI Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Janesville, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,656

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,656 per month in Janesville, WI vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Janesville, WI $2,656
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,807 per month in Janesville, WI vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Janesville, WI $3,807
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,958 per month in Janesville, WI vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Janesville, WI $4,958
Seattle, WA $7,489

Janesville, WI is about 30% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Janesville, WI and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Janesville, WI by 96%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.60 $20.60

$24.52 $24.52

-15.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.4 $88.4

$98.2 $98.2

-9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 $13.10

$14.79 $14.79

-11.43%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$6.52 $6.52

-10.74%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$3.23 $3.23

-16.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.17 $3.17

-30.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 $6.91

$7.85 $7.85

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.03 $8.03

12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.21 $1.21

-33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 $1.80

$5.14 $5.14

-64.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$6.05 $6.05

-11.90%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$4.88 $4.88

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 $14.03

$19.18 $19.18

-26.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.51 $14.51

$18.91 $18.91

-23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.27 $18.27

$23.31 $23.31

-21.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.99 $5.99

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.93 $1.93

-1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.25 $5.25

-22.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$6.57 $6.57

-26.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.62 $3.62

-23.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.31 $3.31

-18.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.78 $2.78

-20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.51 $2.51

19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$12.18 $12.18

-17.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$14.83 $14.83

2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$4.22 $4.22

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$5.77 $5.77

-39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.95 $2.95

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.65 $2.65

23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.72 $1.72

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.58 $24.58

$29.72 $29.72

-17.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.49 $1.49

-19.46%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

0.08%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.31%

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

$192 $192

$302 $302

-36.34%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$70.1 $70.1

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$85.3 $85.3

-28.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 $37.66

$77.8 $77.8

-51.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$18.10 $18.10

$17.84 $17.84

1.46%

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

$1,671 $1,671

$2,973 $2,973

-43.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$31.3K $31.3K

1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 $65.7

$76.6 $76.6

-14.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$54.1 $54.1

-3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$128 $128

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$164 $164

-13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 $1,479

$2,445 $2,445

-39.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$1,947 $1,947

-32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$4,744 $4,744

-48.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$3,469 $3,469

-44.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,747 $2,747

$7,367 $7,367

-62.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,399 $2,399

$5,127 $5,127

-53.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,667 $3,667

$6,506 $6,506

-43.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.89

-1.16%

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

Last update for Janesville, WI: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Janesville, WI

$1.3K 49.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 48.5% $636

Groceries & Markets

Janesville, WI

$422 15.9%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 29.4% $124

Eating Out

Janesville, WI

$346 13%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 15.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Janesville, WI

$322 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 41.8% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Janesville, WI

$162 6.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 17.2% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Janesville, WI

$74 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 53.7% $40

Getting Around

Janesville, WI

$18 * 0.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 608% $111

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,479 in Janesville, WI versus $2,445 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 77% 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 $88.0 in Janesville, WI versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $546 – making Janesville, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Janesville, WI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:49 2:49 PM

12:49 12:49 PM

2 h behind Janesville, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,575

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Janesville, WI Seattle, WA 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Janesville, WI
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

Janesville, WI vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,656 in Janesville, WI, $3,782 in Seattle, WA – roughly 42% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,984 per month in Janesville, WI and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Janesville, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Janesville, WI and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,656 in Janesville, WI and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,656 in Janesville, WI to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Janesville, WI. 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.