Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,747 in Maui, HI, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

229

Cost of Living Index in Maui, HI
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Maui, HI Living Index
184

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

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Maui, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,747

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,747 per month in Maui, HI vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Maui, HI $4,747
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $6,648 per month in Maui, HI vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Maui, HI $6,648
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $8,550 per month in Maui, HI vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Maui, HI $8,550
Seattle, WA $7,592

Maui, HI costs about 25% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Maui, HI and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Maui, HI by 249%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.62 $35.62

$25.30 $25.30

40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$101 $101

18.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.76 $14.76

3.25%

Cappuccino

$6.86 $6.86

$6.50 $6.50

5.54%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$3.21 $3.21

-4.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.14 $3.14

-14.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.97 $7.97

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.13 $8.13

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.17 $1.17

88.03%

White Bread (500g)

$8.86 $8.86

$5.30 $5.30

67.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$6.40 $6.40

34.69%

Eggs

$8.75 $8.75

$5.06 $5.06

72.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.46 $27.46

$18.71 $18.71

46.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$18.72 $18.72

-18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.21 $22.21

$22.88 $22.88

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$6.06 $6.06

65.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.95 $1.95

13.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$5.51 $5.51

82.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$6.52 $6.52

22.39%

Potato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.49 $3.49

94.56%

Onion (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.29 $3.29

137.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.80 $2.80

73.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.58 $2.58

37.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.92 $16.92

$12.49 $12.49

35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 $19.74

$14.87 $14.87

32.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.19 $4.19

-59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$5.80 $5.80

34.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.05 $3.05

-9.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$106 $106

-5.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$2.58 $2.58

284.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.64 $1.64

-42.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.41 $1.41

-7.80%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

2.31%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

24.94%

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

$395 $395

$308 $308

28.29%

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

$61.5 $61.5

$69.2 $69.2

-11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$86.1 $86.1

-14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.55 $29.55

$76.5 $76.5

-61.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$18.02 $18.02

-16.87%

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

$1,674 $1,674

$2,746 $2,746

-39.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K $17.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-44.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 $89.8

$79.2 $79.2

13.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 $54.5

$54.3 $54.3

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 $131

$127 $127

3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 $203

$159 $159

27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 $2,283

$2,508 $2,508

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,611 $2,611

$1,938 $1,938

34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,532 $4,532

$5,117 $5,117

-11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,841 $3,841

$3,542 $3,542

8.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K $14.3K

$7,374 $7,374

94.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,220 $9,220

$5,002 $5,002

84.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,712 $5,712

$6,470 $6,470

-11.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.89

-5.37%

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

Last update for Maui, HI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maui, HI

$2.6K 55%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 25.8% $672

Groceries & Markets

Maui, HI

$711 15%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 23% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maui, HI

$529 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 12.6% $67

Eating Out

Maui, HI

$495 10.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 17.9% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Maui, HI

$215 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 12.4% $27

Getting Around

Maui, HI

$126 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 2.4% $3.1

Sport & Entertainment

Maui, HI

$60 1.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 89% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,283 in Maui, HI versus $2,508 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 13% higher in Seattle, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Maui, HI versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $711 vs $547 – making Seattle, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Maui, HI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:48 7:48 PM

22:48 10:48 PM

3 h ahead of Maui, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,452

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

Maui, HI Seattle, WA 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Maui, HI
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,747 in Maui, HI, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Seattle, WA comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,120 per month in Maui, HI and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,283 in Maui, HI and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $1,674 per month in Maui, HI and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Maui, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,747 in Maui, HI and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,785 in Seattle, WA to $4,747 in Maui, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.