Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne, FL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Melbourne, FL: $3,213 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

157

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne, FL
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Melbourne, FL Living Index
185

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

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Melbourne, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,213

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,213 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $3,213
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,425 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $4,425
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $5,637 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $5,637
Seattle, WA $7,603

Melbourne, FL is about 15% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Melbourne, FL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Melbourne, FL by 138%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.66 $25.66

$25.32 $25.32

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$101 $101

-26.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$14.85 $14.85

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$6.59 $6.59

-23.67%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$3.22 $3.22

-5.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.14 $3.14

-38.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.23 $5.23

$8.18 $8.18

-36.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 $7.40

$8.03 $8.03

-7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.21 $1.21

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.12 $5.12

-15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$6.30 $6.30

-50.48%

Eggs

$5.70 $5.70

$4.90 $4.90

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$19.10 $19.10

-30.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 $11.33

$18.50 $18.50

-38.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$23.03 $23.03

-35.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$5.81 $5.81

-21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.95 $1.95

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.29 $5.29

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$6.48 $6.48

-17.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.57 $3.57

-14.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.15 $3.15

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.85 $2.85

-22.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.42 $2.42

7.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 $9.51

$12.75 $12.75

-25.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.99 $14.99

4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$4.17 $4.17

-50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.99 $5.99

-44.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.04 $3.04

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 $41.62

$110 $110

-62.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 $10.12

$2.55 $2.55

296.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.64 $1.64

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.42 $1.42

-27.46%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

3.03%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

-1.68%

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

$173 $173

$299 $299

-42.22%

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

$57.9 $57.9

$70.8 $70.8

-18.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.1 $78.1

$88.3 $88.3

-11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.63 $40.63

$79.5 $79.5

-48.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.81 $2.81

$35.37 $35.37

-92.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 $12.66

$17.12 $17.12

-26.05%

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

$918 $918

$3,013 $3,013

-69.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K $20.8K

$31.6K $31.6K

-34.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 $75.1

$77.2 $77.2

-2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$55.1 $55.1

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$126 $126

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$163 $163

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 $1,996

$2,464 $2,464

-19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 $1,838

$1,956 $1,956

-6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 $2,769

$4,711 $4,711

-41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 $2,580

$3,550 $3,550

-27.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$7,346 $7,346

-66.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,477 $2,477

$5,048 $5,048

-50.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 $3,581

$6,286 $6,286

-43.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.85

0.15%

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

Last update for Melbourne, FL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne, FL

$1.8K 57.2%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 6.4% $118

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne, FL

$409 12.7%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 32.5% $133

Eating Out

Melbourne, FL

$356 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 14.7% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne, FL

$309 9.6%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 48.4% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne, FL

$159 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 19.1% $30

Getting Around

Melbourne, FL

$77 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 73.5% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne, FL

$66 2.1%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 72.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,996 in Melbourne, FL versus $2,464 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 76% 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 $74.0 in Melbourne, FL versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 vs $542 – making Melbourne, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Melbourne, FL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

03:47 3:47 AM

3 h behind Melbourne, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,068

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

Melbourne, FL Seattle, WA 4,190 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne, FL
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

Melbourne, FL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,820 per month in Melbourne, FL and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Melbourne, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,213 in Melbourne, FL and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 18%.

Public transport costs about 164% less in Melbourne, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,213 in Melbourne, FL and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Melbourne, FL. 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.