Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Madison, WI: $2,931 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index
182

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

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Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,931

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,931 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Madison, WI $2,931
Seattle, WA $3,762

A couple spends around $4,224 per month in Madison, WI vs $5,651 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Madison, WI $4,224
Seattle, WA $5,651

A family of three spends $5,517 per month in Madison, WI vs $7,541 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Madison, WI $5,517
Seattle, WA $7,541

Madison, WI is about 22% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Madison, WI and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 117%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$23.80 $23.80

-16.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$98.6 $98.6

-34.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.17 $13.17

$14.94 $14.94

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.79 $6.79

-16.64%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.23 $3.23

-6.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.15 $3.15

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.62 $6.62

$8.21 $8.21

-19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$7.87 $7.87

-1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.17 $1.17

-18.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.29 $5.29

-40.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.76 $5.76

-27.43%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$4.89 $4.89

-23.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$20.25 $20.25

-28.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$17.95 $17.95

-32.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 $20.36

$23.35 $23.35

-12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.94 $5.94

-22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.89 $1.89

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.35 $5.35

-7.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$6.57 $6.57

-28.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.39 $3.39

-23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.88 $2.88

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.89 $2.89

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.43 $2.43

-7.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 $10.89

$12.18 $12.18

-10.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$15.24 $15.24

3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.38 $4.38

-38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 $4.40

$5.89 $5.89

-25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.96 $2.96

-34.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$109 $109

-40.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.52 $2.52

55.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.72 $1.72

13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.61 $44.61

$29.70 $29.70

50.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.51 $1.51

-29.14%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$36.2K $36.2K

-16.23%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.75%

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

$266 $266

$289 $289

-7.93%

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

$45.57 $45.57

$69.1 $69.1

-34.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 $80.5

$84.8 $84.8

-5.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 $51.6

$69.4 $69.4

-25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 $10.12

$35.05 $35.05

-71.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$17.97 $17.97

-18.20%

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

$1,594 $1,594

$2,819 $2,819

-43.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$43.9K $43.9K

-50.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 $63.4

$91.2 $91.2

-30.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 $46.65

$55.1 $55.1

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$127 $127

-15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$162 $162

-25.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 $1,723

$2,579 $2,579

-33.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

$1,943 $1,943

-24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,146 $3,146

$5,100 $5,100

-38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 $2,438

$3,541 $3,541

-31.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,429 $4,429

$7,357 $7,357

-39.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 $2,478

$4,921 $4,921

-49.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,430 $4,430

$6,448 $6,448

-31.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.8

0.15%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: November 2, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Madison, WI

$1.5K 50%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 32.6% $478

Groceries & Markets

Madison, WI

$416 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 30.6% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madison, WI

$392 13.4%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 12.9% $51

Eating Out

Madison, WI

$337 11.5%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 18.4% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Madison, WI

$152 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 28.5% $43

Getting Around

Madison, WI

$87 3%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 51.9% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Madison, WI

$81 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 30.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,723 in Madison, WI versus $2,579 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 46% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Madison, WI versus $99 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $544 – making Madison, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

23:14 11:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

2 h behind Madison, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,951

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Madison, WI Seattle, WA 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Madison, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,931 in Madison, WI, $3,762 in Seattle, WA – Madison, WI comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,396 per month in Madison, WI and $5,642 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,723 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Madison, WI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,594 per month in Madison, WI and $2,819 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,931 in Madison, WI to $3,762 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Madison, WI. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.