Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kansas City, MO and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Kansas City, MO: $2,442 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Kansas City, MO
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Kansas City, MO Living Index
184

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

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Kansas City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,442

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,442 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Kansas City, MO $2,442
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,599 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Kansas City, MO $3,599
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,756 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Kansas City, MO $4,756
Seattle, WA $7,592

Kansas City, MO is about 35% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kansas City, MO and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Kansas City, MO by 79%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 $25.16

$25.30 $25.30

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$101 $101

-20.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 $12.48

$14.76 $14.76

-15.45%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$6.50 $6.50

-8.00%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$3.21 $3.21

-0.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.14 $3.14

-21.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 $6.96

$7.97 $7.97

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 $7.61

$8.13 $8.13

-6.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.17 $1.17

-0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.30 $5.30

-36.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.40 $6.40

-19.38%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$5.06 $5.06

-16.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 $14.38

$18.71 $18.71

-23.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$18.72 $18.72

-47.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 $13.71

$22.88 $22.88

-40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$6.06 $6.06

-25.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.51 $5.51

-19.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.52 $6.52

-15.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.49 $3.49

-8.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.29 $3.29

0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.80 $2.80

-18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.58 $2.58

-18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 $7.93

$12.49 $12.49

-36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$14.87 $14.87

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$4.19 $4.19

-53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$5.80 $5.80

-31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.64 $1.64

-26.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.7 $59.7

$30.12 $30.12

98.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$36.8K $36.8K

-6.61%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.57%

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

$199 $199

$308 $308

-35.46%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$69.2 $69.2

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$86.1 $86.1

-15.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 $44.00

$76.5 $76.5

-42.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.05 $32.05

$35.50 $35.50

-9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$18.02 $18.02

-15.82%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$2,746 $2,746

-58.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K $21.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-31.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 $61.7

$79.2 $79.2

-22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 $43.49

$54.3 $54.3

-19.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$127 $127

-18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$159 $159

-7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 $1,250

$2,508 $2,508

-50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$1,938 $1,938

-43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,468 $2,468

$5,117 $5,117

-51.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 $1,724

$3,542 $3,542

-51.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,584 $2,584

$7,374 $7,374

-64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,837 $1,837

$5,002 $5,002

-63.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,939 $3,939

$6,470 $6,470

-39.13%

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 Kansas City, MO: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kansas City, MO

$1.1K 44.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 78.3% $852

Groceries & Markets

Kansas City, MO

$392 16.1%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 39.6% $155

Eating Out

Kansas City, MO

$383 15.7%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kansas City, MO

$338 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 37.1% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Kansas City, MO

$160 6.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 18% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Kansas City, MO

$74 3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 51.3% $38

Getting Around

Kansas City, MO

$8.5 * 0.4%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1412% $120

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,250 in Kansas City, MO 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 64% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Kansas City, MO versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $547 – making Kansas City, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kansas City, MO

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:29 9:29 PM

19:29 7:29 PM

2 h behind Kansas City, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

463,202

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Kansas City, MO Seattle, WA 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kansas City, MO
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,442 in Kansas City, MO, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Kansas City, MO comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,664 per month in Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,250 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,442 in Kansas City, MO and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Kansas City, MO about 35% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,136 per month in Kansas City, MO and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kansas City, MO, where all-in costs run around $2,442, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Kansas City, MO it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,442 in Kansas City, MO to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kansas City, MO. 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.