Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ketchikan, AK: $3,104 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Ketchikan, AK
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Ketchikan, AK Living Index
182

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

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Ketchikan, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,104

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

Ketchikan, AK $3,104
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Ketchikan, AK versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

Ketchikan, AK $4,242
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,380 in Ketchikan, AK versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

Ketchikan, AK $5,380
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in Ketchikan, AK costs roughly 17% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ketchikan, AK 130% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.76 $27.76

$23.80 $23.80

16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.4 $82.4

$98.6 $98.6

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$14.94 $14.94

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$6.79 $6.79

-25.04%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.23 $3.23

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.15 $3.15

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 $7.57

$8.21 $8.21

-7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.39 $7.39

$7.87 $7.87

-6.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.17 $1.17

49.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$5.29 $5.29

-32.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.76 $5.76

-25.87%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$4.89 $4.89

-11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$20.25 $20.25

-37.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$17.95 $17.95

-34.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$23.35 $23.35

-25.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.94 $5.94

-16.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.89 $1.89

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.35 $5.35

-18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$6.57 $6.57

-27.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.39 $3.39

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.88 $2.88

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.89 $2.89

-24.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$12.18 $12.18

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.24 $15.24

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$4.38 $4.38

-49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$5.89 $5.89

-38.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.96 $2.96

-32.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$109 $109

-45.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.52 $2.52

55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.72 $1.72

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.88 $28.88

$29.70 $29.70

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.51 $1.51

-20.53%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$36.2K $36.2K

-17.98%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.20%

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

$200 $200

$289 $289

-30.88%

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

$57.5 $57.5

$69.1 $69.1

-16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 $135

$84.8 $84.8

59.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.43 $40.43

$69.4 $69.4

-41.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 $17.98

$17.97 $17.97

0.06%

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

$1,219 $1,219

$2,819 $2,819

-56.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K $19.5K

$43.9K $43.9K

-55.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$91.2 $91.2

-37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.71 $43.71

$55.1 $55.1

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 $82.9

$127 $127

-34.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$162 $162

-25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$2,579 $2,579

-30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$1,943 $1,943

-16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 $2,366

$5,100 $5,100

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 $2,156

$3,541 $3,541

-39.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$7,357 $7,357

-54.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,412 $3,412

$4,921 $4,921

-30.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,559 $4,559

$6,448 $6,448

-29.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.8

-3.09%

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

Last update for Ketchikan, AK: November 3, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ketchikan, AK

$1.6K 52.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 20.1% $325

Groceries & Markets

Ketchikan, AK

$413 13.3%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 31.8% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ketchikan, AK

$392 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 12.9% $50

Eating Out

Ketchikan, AK

$389 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 2.5% $9.8

Clothing & Footwear

Ketchikan, AK

$137 4.4%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 43.1% $59

Getting Around

Ketchikan, AK

$79 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 67.9% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Ketchikan, AK

$76 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 38% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK and $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $82 in Ketchikan, AK vs $99 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $544 per month, with Ketchikan, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ketchikan, AK

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

05:14 5:14 AM

1 h ahead of Ketchikan, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,200

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ketchikan, AK Seattle, WA 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ketchikan, AK
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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK and $3,762 in Seattle, WA, so Ketchikan, AK is about 17% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Ketchikan, AK. 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: $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,219 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,819 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ketchikan, AK is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Ketchikan, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.