Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lansing, IL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lansing, IL: $2,424 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Lansing, IL
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Lansing, IL Living Index
184

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

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Lansing, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,424

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,424 per month in Lansing, IL vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lansing, IL $2,424
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,690 per month in Lansing, IL vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lansing, IL $3,690
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,956 per month in Lansing, IL vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lansing, IL $4,956
Seattle, WA $7,489

Lansing, IL is about 36% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lansing, IL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Lansing, IL by 79%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$24.52 $24.52

-19.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$98.2 $98.2

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 $11.59

$14.79 $14.79

-21.64%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$6.52 $6.52

-20.40%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$3.23 $3.23

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$7.85 $7.85

-24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 $7.22

$8.03 $8.03

-10.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.21 $1.21

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$5.14 $5.14

-30.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$6.05 $6.05

-26.45%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.88 $4.88

-15.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$19.18 $19.18

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$18.91 $18.91

-39.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.88 $16.88

$23.31 $23.31

-27.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.99 $5.99

-14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.93 $1.93

-15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.25 $5.25

-16.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$6.57 $6.57

-27.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.62 $3.62

-22.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.31 $3.31

-12.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.78 $2.78

-21.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.51 $2.51

-11.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$12.18 $12.18

-18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.83 $14.83

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$4.22 $4.22

-54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.77 $5.77

-43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.95 $2.95

-30.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.65 $2.65

1.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.72 $1.72

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.26 $33.26

$29.72 $29.72

11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.49 $1.49

-24.16%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.36%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.36%

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

$196 $196

$302 $302

-35.18%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$70.1 $70.1

-5.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$85.3 $85.3

-16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 $40.95

$77.8 $77.8

-47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$14.18 $14.18

$17.84 $17.84

-20.52%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$2,973 $2,973

-53.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.8K $26.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

-14.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 $55.9

$76.6 $76.6

-27.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 $43.58

$54.1 $54.1

-19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$128 $128

-20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$164 $164

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 $1,607

$2,445 $2,445

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 $1,143

$1,947 $1,947

-41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$4,744 $4,744

-44.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 $2,131

$3,469 $3,469

-38.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$7,367 $7,367

-66.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,500 $2,500

$5,127 $5,127

-51.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 $3,105

$6,506 $6,506

-52.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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

Last update for Lansing, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lansing, IL

$1.1K 47.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 70.2% $803

Groceries & Markets

Lansing, IL

$398 16.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 36.9% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lansing, IL

$333 13.7%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 37.5% $125

Eating Out

Lansing, IL

$317 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 26.1% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Lansing, IL

$144 6%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 31.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Lansing, IL

$69 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 63.8% $44

Getting Around

Lansing, IL

$19 * 0.8%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 592% $111

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,607 in Lansing, IL 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 110% 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 $75.0 in Lansing, IL versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $546 – making Lansing, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lansing, IL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

22:15 10:15 PM

20:15 8:15 PM

2 h behind Lansing, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,644

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

Lansing, IL Seattle, WA 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Lansing, IL
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

Lansing, IL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,636 per month in Lansing, IL 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 Lansing, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,424 in Lansing, IL and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 56%.

Kindergarten costs $1,377 per month in Lansing, IL and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,424 in Lansing, IL and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lansing, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lansing, IL. 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.