Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lowell, MA: $2,689 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index
184

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

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Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Lowell, MA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in Lowell, MA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,797 per month in Lowell, MA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Seattle, WA $7,489

Lowell, MA is about 29% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lowell, MA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 98%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$24.52 $24.52

-26.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$98.2 $98.2

-29.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$14.79 $14.79

-37.53%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$6.52 $6.52

-24.85%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$3.23 $3.23

-37.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.17 $3.17

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.85 $7.85

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.03 $8.03

2.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.21 $1.21

-33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$5.14 $5.14

-58.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$6.05 $6.05

-12.73%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.88 $4.88

-15.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$19.18 $19.18

-41.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$18.91 $18.91

-52.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$23.31 $23.31

-25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.99 $5.99

-54.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.93 $1.93

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$5.25 $5.25

29.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.57 $6.57

-15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.62 $3.62

-53.87%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.31 $3.31

33.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.78 $2.78

8.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.51 $2.51

-12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$12.18 $12.18

13.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.83 $14.83

-9.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$4.22 $4.22

-58.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$5.77 $5.77

-27.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.95 $2.95

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$106 $106

-48.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.65 $2.65

52.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.72 $1.72

1.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$29.72 $29.72

-0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.49 $1.49

-43.62%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.86%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.13%

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

$186 $186

$302 $302

-38.40%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$70.1 $70.1

-26.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$85.3 $85.3

-21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$77.8 $77.8

-48.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$34.58 $34.58

-64.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$17.84 $17.84

-21.24%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$2,973 $2,973

-52.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$31.3K $31.3K

-5.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$76.6 $76.6

-24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$54.1 $54.1

-29.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$128 $128

-38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$164 $164

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$2,445 $2,445

-33.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$1,947 $1,947

-24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$4,744 $4,744

-21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$3,469 $3,469

-10.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$7,367 $7,367

-53.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$5,127 $5,127

-31.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$6,506 $6,506

-39.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.89

-11.47%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: 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

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 32.1% $473

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 47.6% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 50.2% $153

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 39.2% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 72.6% $80

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 72% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 66.5% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,620 in Lowell, MA 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 64% 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 $69.0 in Lowell, MA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $546 – making Lowell, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

03:37 3:37 AM

00:37 12:37 AM

3 h behind Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

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

Lowell, MA Seattle, WA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
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

Lowell, MA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,033 per month in Lowell, MA 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 Lowell, MA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 93% less in Lowell, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,410 per month in Lowell, MA 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 $2,689 in Lowell, MA 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 Lowell, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Lowell, MA. 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.