Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Juneau, AK and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Juneau, AK: $3,182 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

154

Cost of Living Index in Juneau, AK
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Juneau, AK Living Index
185

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

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Juneau, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,182

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,182 in Juneau, AK versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Juneau, AK $3,182
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,802 in Juneau, AK versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Juneau, AK $4,802
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,422 in Juneau, AK versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Juneau, AK $6,422
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Juneau, AK costs roughly 16% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Juneau, AK 136% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 $16.19

$25.32 $25.32

-36.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 $90.0

$101 $101

-11.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.30 $16.30

$14.85 $14.85

9.76%

Cappuccino

$6.98 $6.98

$6.59 $6.59

5.92%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$3.22 $3.22

-13.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.14 $3.14

-32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 $6.80

$8.18 $8.18

-16.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$8.03 $8.03

-13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.21 $1.21

15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$7.57 $7.57

$5.12 $5.12

47.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$6.30 $6.30

-23.97%

Eggs

$5.46 $5.46

$4.90 $4.90

11.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.43 $22.43

$19.10 $19.10

17.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$18.50 $18.50

-17.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$23.03 $23.03

-21.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.81 $5.81

15.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.95 $1.95

88.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.29 $5.29

-9.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$6.48 $6.48

-10.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.57 $3.57

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.15 $3.15

39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.85 $2.85

-1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.42 $2.42

10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.22 $15.22

$12.75 $12.75

19.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 $17.16

$14.99 $14.99

14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$4.17 $4.17

-37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.99 $5.99

-44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.04 $3.04

-35.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.56 $39.56

$110 $110

-64.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.42 $1.42

-14.79%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$35.7K $35.7K

-32.14%

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

$31.4K $31.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

22.94%

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

$386 $386

$299 $299

29.24%

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

$76.7 $76.7

$70.8 $70.8

8.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 $109

$88.3 $88.3

23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$136 $136

$79.5 $79.5

70.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$17.12 $17.12

-10.92%

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

$1,577 $1,577

$3,013 $3,013

-47.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 $59.2

$77.2 $77.2

-23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 $45.56

$55.1 $55.1

-17.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$126 $126

-30.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$163 $163

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$2,464 $2,464

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$1,956 $1,956

-30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,982 $2,982

$4,711 $4,711

-36.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,638 $2,638

$3,550 $3,550

-25.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,552 $3,552

$7,346 $7,346

-51.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,712 $3,712

$5,048 $5,048

-26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,044 $4,044

$6,286 $6,286

-35.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.85

-4.23%

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

Last update for Juneau, AK: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Juneau, AK

$1.4K 42.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 43.3% $591

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Juneau, AK

$572 18%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 19.9% $114

Groceries & Markets

Juneau, AK

$548 17.2%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 1.1% $6.3

Eating Out

Juneau, AK

$330 10.4%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 23.9% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Juneau, AK

$166 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 31.6% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Juneau, AK

$154 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 22.9% $35

Getting Around

Juneau, AK

$47 * 1.5%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 181% $86

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 $1,590 in Juneau, AK and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 55% 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: $90.0 in Juneau, AK vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $548 vs $542, with Seattle, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Juneau, AK

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:58 2:58 AM

03:58 3:58 AM

1 h ahead of Juneau, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Juneau, AK Seattle, WA 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Juneau, AK
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

Juneau, AK vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juneau, AK wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Juneau, AK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $1,590 in Juneau, AK versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,182 per month in Juneau, AK versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Juneau, AK runs roughly 178% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Juneau, AK 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 Juneau, AK delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,182 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Juneau, AK hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Juneau, AK 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 Juneau, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.