Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medford, MA: $3,087 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

149

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

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

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Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,087

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,087 per month in Medford, MA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Medford, MA $3,087
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Medford, MA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Medford, MA $4,233
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,378 per month in Medford, MA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Medford, MA $5,378
Seattle, WA $7,592

Medford, MA is about 18% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medford, MA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Medford, MA by 127%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 $18.23

$25.30 $25.30

-27.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$101 $101

-4.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$14.76 $14.76

-17.68%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$6.50 $6.50

-15.38%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$3.21 $3.21

-7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.14 $3.14

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$7.97 $7.97

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 $8.73

$8.13 $8.13

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.17 $1.17

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.30 $5.30

-24.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$6.40 $6.40

-16.41%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.06 $5.06

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$18.71 $18.71

-38.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$18.72 $18.72

-22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$22.88 $22.88

-22.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$6.06 $6.06

9.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.95 $1.95

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.51 $5.51

-2.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$6.52 $6.52

-15.03%

Potato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.49 $3.49

28.08%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.29 $3.29

27.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.80 $2.80

7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.58 $2.58

16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 $13.10

$12.49 $12.49

4.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$14.87 $14.87

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$4.19 $4.19

-49.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$5.80 $5.80

-26.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.05 $3.05

-21.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$106 $106

-43.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.58 $2.58

1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.64 $1.64

7.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$30.12 $30.12

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.41 $1.41

-24.11%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-24.41%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.51%

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

$246 $246

$308 $308

-20.18%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$69.2 $69.2

-20.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$86.1 $86.1

-0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 $41.33

$76.5 $76.5

-45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 $14.19

$18.02 $18.02

-21.25%

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

$1,839 $1,839

$2,746 $2,746

-33.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.6K $30.6K

-1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$79.2 $79.2

-26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.42 $38.42

$54.3 $54.3

-29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$127 $127

-37.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 $99.8

$159 $159

-37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$2,508 $2,508

-36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$1,938 $1,938

-15.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$5,117 $5,117

-50.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$3,542 $3,542

-38.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$7,374 $7,374

-62.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,408 $2,408

$5,002 $5,002

-51.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.89

-3.63%

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

Last update for Medford, MA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medford, MA

$1.6K 53.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 18.3% $299

Groceries & Markets

Medford, MA

$461 14.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 18.7% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medford, MA

$386 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 20% $77

Eating Out

Medford, MA

$327 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 24.2% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Medford, MA

$124 4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52.2% $65

Getting Around

Medford, MA

$81 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 59.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Medford, MA

$70 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 61.4% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Medford, MA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Medford, MA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $547 – making Medford, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

16:38 4:38 PM

13:38 1:38 PM

3 h behind Medford, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,173

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Medford, MA Seattle, WA 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Medford, MA
Seattle, WA

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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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,631 per month in Medford, MA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medford, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,600 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,087 in Medford, MA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Medford, MA about 18% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Medford, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,087 in Medford, MA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Medford, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Medford, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.