Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lihue, HI: $3,194 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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

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Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,194

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,194 in Lihue, HI versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Lihue, HI $3,194
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,556 in Lihue, HI versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Lihue, HI $5,556
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,919 in Lihue, HI versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Lihue, HI $7,919
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Lihue, HI costs roughly 16% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lihue, HI 135% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$25.30 $25.30

0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$101 $101

9.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$14.76 $14.76

-11.72%

Cappuccino

$6.55 $6.55

$6.50 $6.50

0.77%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$3.21 $3.21

19.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.14 $3.14

-21.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.97 $7.97

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$8.13 $8.13

-2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.17 $1.17

60.68%

White Bread (500g)

$6.56 $6.56

$5.30 $5.30

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$6.40 $6.40

-56.09%

Eggs

$10.19 $10.19

$5.06 $5.06

101.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$18.71 $18.71

-17.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.72 $18.72

-18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.13 $20.13

$22.88 $22.88

-12.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$6.06 $6.06

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.95 $1.95

70.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$5.51 $5.51

55.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$6.52 $6.52

55.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.49 $3.49

44.70%

Onion (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$3.29 $3.29

92.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.49 $12.49

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$14.87 $14.87

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.19 $4.19

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$5.80 $5.80

-70.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.05 $3.05

-35.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 $52.9

$106 $106

-50.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 $7.88

$2.58 $2.58

205.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.64 $1.64

15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.25 $15.25

$30.12 $30.12

-49.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.41 $1.41

-7.80%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

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

$26.6K $26.6K

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

$308 $308

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

$30.21 $30.21

$69.2 $69.2

-56.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$86.1 $86.1

-29.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.9 $91.9

$76.5 $76.5

20.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 $9.01

$18.02 $18.02

-50.00%

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

$1,200 $1,200

$2,746 $2,746

-56.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

-46.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,508 $2,508

-6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 $2,000

$1,938 $1,938

3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,245 $5,245

$5,117 $5,117

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,812 $4,812

$3,542 $3,542

35.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,987 $1,987

$6,470 $6,470

-69.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.89

-2.90%

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

Last update for Lihue, HI: 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

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Groceries & Markets

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Eating Out

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Getting Around

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Lihue, HI

–

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,353 in Lihue, HI and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $111 in Lihue, HI vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $519 vs $547, with Lihue, HI cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:08 12:08 AM

03:08 3:08 AM

3 h ahead of Lihue, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lihue, HI Seattle, WA 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Lihue, HI
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

Lihue, HI vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lihue, HI wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lihue, HI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Lihue, HI. 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: $2,353 in Lihue, HI versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,194 per month in Lihue, HI versus $3,785 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 Lihue, HI runs roughly 50% 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. Lihue, HI 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lihue, HI wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.