Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,198 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index
185

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

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La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,198

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,198 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $2,198
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,399 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $3,399
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,601 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $4,601
Seattle, WA $7,603

La Crosse, WI is about 42% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both La Crosse, WI and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 63%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 $14.98

$25.32 $25.32

-40.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 $71.2

$101 $101

-29.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$14.85 $14.85

-24.78%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.59 $6.59

-14.26%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$3.22 $3.22

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$3.14 $3.14

-62.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 $4.44

$8.18 $8.18

-45.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.03 $8.03

-25.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.21 $1.21

-40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.12 $5.12

-50.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.30 $6.30

-24.29%

Eggs

$2.40 $2.40

$4.90 $4.90

-51.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$19.10 $19.10

-47.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$18.50 $18.50

-42.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$23.03 $23.03

-28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.81 $5.81

-15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.95 $1.95

-43.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$5.29 $5.29

-41.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.48 $6.48

-19.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.57 $3.57

-43.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.15 $3.15

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.85 $2.85

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.42 $2.42

-29.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$12.75 $12.75

-23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 $11.04

$14.99 $14.99

-26.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$4.17 $4.17

-56.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$5.99 $5.99

-67.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$3.04 $3.04

-67.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.58 $35.58

$110 $110

-67.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.55 $2.55

34.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.64 $1.64

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.67 $44.67

$29.58 $29.58

51.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.42 $1.42

-37.32%

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

$38.8K $38.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

8.60%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-4.99%

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

$206 $206

$299 $299

-31.01%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$70.8 $70.8

-23.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$88.3 $88.3

-24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 $39.44

$79.5 $79.5

-50.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 $3.95

$35.37 $35.37

-88.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$17.12 $17.12

-30.37%

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

$890 $890

$3,013 $3,013

-70.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 $63.3

$77.2 $77.2

-18.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 $63.3

$55.1 $55.1

14.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$126 $126

-36.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$163 $163

-25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

$2,464 $2,464

-69.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 $1,000

$1,956 $1,956

-48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$4,711 $4,711

-52.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 $1,983

$3,550 $3,550

-44.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$7,346 $7,346

-74.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$5,048 $5,048

-61.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,088 $4,088

$6,286 $6,286

-34.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.85

-3.21%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.5%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 95.5% $956

Groceries & Markets

La Crosse, WI

$338 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 60.1% $203

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.9%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 39.9% $131

Eating Out

La Crosse, WI

$269 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 52% $140

Clothing & Footwear

La Crosse, WI

$147 6.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 28.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

La Crosse, WI

$63 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 79.8% $50

Getting Around

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 154% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $763 in La Crosse, WI versus $2,464 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 54% 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 $71.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $542 – making La Crosse, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

22:25 10:25 PM

2 h behind La Crosse, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,680

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

La Crosse, WI Seattle, WA 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

La Crosse, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,198 in La Crosse, WI, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,297 per month in La Crosse, WI and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 60% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in La Crosse, WI and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,198, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In La Crosse, WI 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 $2,198 in La Crosse, WI to $3,800 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 La Crosse, 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.