Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lincoln, NE: $2,208 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE Living Index
184

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

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Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,208 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Lincoln, NE $2,208
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,239 in Lincoln, NE versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Lincoln, NE $3,239
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,270 in Lincoln, NE versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Lincoln, NE $4,270
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Lincoln, NE costs roughly 42% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lincoln, NE 62% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$25.30 $25.30

-19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$101 $101

-21.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$14.76 $14.76

-17.55%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.50 $6.50

-12.92%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$3.21 $3.21

-27.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.14 $3.14

-44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$7.97 $7.97

-35.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.13 $8.13

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.17 $1.17

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.30 $5.30

-39.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.40 $6.40

-1.25%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$5.06 $5.06

-11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$18.71 $18.71

-38.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$18.72 $18.72

-54.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$22.88 $22.88

-35.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$6.06 $6.06

15.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.95 $1.95

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.51 $5.51

7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.52 $6.52

-32.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.49 $3.49

-3.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.29 $3.29

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.80 $2.80

-33.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.58 $2.58

3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 $9.19

$12.49 $12.49

-26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.30 $17.30

$14.87 $14.87

16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$4.19 $4.19

-55.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$5.80 $5.80

-55.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$3.05 $3.05

-59.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 $16.91

$106 $106

-84.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.58 $2.58

96.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.64 $1.64

15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.14 $35.14

$30.12 $30.12

16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.13%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.89%

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

$144 $144

$308 $308

-53.22%

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

$47.84 $47.84

$69.2 $69.2

-30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$86.1 $86.1

-24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 $41.55

$76.5 $76.5

-45.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.15 $26.15

$35.50 $35.50

-26.34%

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$18.02 $18.02

-16.32%

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

$834 $834

$2,746 $2,746

-69.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 $48.84

$79.2 $79.2

-38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 $35.07

$54.3 $54.3

-35.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$127 $127

-31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$159 $159

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 $956

$2,508 $2,508

-61.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 $982

$1,938 $1,938

-49.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$5,117 $5,117

-57.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$3,542 $3,542

-59.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$7,374 $7,374

-66.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,767 $1,767

$5,002 $5,002

-64.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,834 $3,834

$6,470 $6,470

-40.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.89

-7.55%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: 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

Lincoln, NE

$982 44.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 97.4% $956

Groceries & Markets

Lincoln, NE

$404 18.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 35.2% $143

Eating Out

Lincoln, NE

$327 14.8%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 24.3% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lincoln, NE

$257 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 80% $206

Clothing & Footwear

Lincoln, NE

$130 5.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 45.6% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Lincoln, NE

$72 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 56.8% $41

Getting Around

Lincoln, NE

$36 1.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 255% $93

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Lincoln, NE and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79 in Lincoln, NE vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $547 per month, with Lincoln, NE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

17:46 5:46 PM

15:46 3:46 PM

2 h behind Lincoln, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

277,348

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Lincoln, NE Seattle, WA 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Lincoln, NE
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

Lincoln, NE vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, NE wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lincoln, NE the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Lincoln, NE. 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: $956 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lincoln, NE – a meal for two runs $79 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,208 per month in Lincoln, NE versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Lincoln, NE is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.