Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Minneapolis, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Minneapolis, MN: $2,772 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Minneapolis, MN
Learn more

Minneapolis, MN Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Minneapolis, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,772

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Minneapolis, MN versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Minneapolis, MN $2,772
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,125 in Minneapolis, MN versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Minneapolis, MN $4,125
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,479 in Minneapolis, MN versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Minneapolis, MN $5,479
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Minneapolis, MN costs roughly 27% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Minneapolis, MN 105% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.29 $22.29

$25.32 $25.32

-11.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$101 $101

-17.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$14.85 $14.85

-20.67%

Cappuccino

$6.75 $6.75

$6.59 $6.59

2.43%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$3.22 $3.22

-4.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.14 $3.14

-28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.18 $8.18

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$8.03 $8.03

-2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.21 $1.21

-28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$5.12 $5.12

-32.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$6.30 $6.30

5.71%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.90 $4.90

-25.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$19.10 $19.10

-46.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$18.50 $18.50

-27.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.29 $19.29

$23.03 $23.03

-16.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$5.81 $5.81

-3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.95 $1.95

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.29 $5.29

29.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$6.48 $6.48

-22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.57 $3.57

21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.15 $3.15

35.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.85 $2.85

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.42 $2.42

9.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.77 $12.77

$12.75 $12.75

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.94 $15.94

$14.99 $14.99

6.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.17 $4.17

-33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$5.99 $5.99

-3.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.04 $3.04

-33.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 $83.3

$110 $110

-24.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.55 $2.55

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.64 $1.64

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$29.58 $29.58

-18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.42 $1.42

-27.46%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.83%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.10%

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

$179 $179

$299 $299

-40.10%

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

$55.3 $55.3

$70.8 $70.8

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$88.3 $88.3

-17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 $64.6

$79.5 $79.5

-18.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

$35.37 $35.37

-21.40%

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 $16.01

$17.12 $17.12

-6.48%

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

$1,381 $1,381

$3,013 $3,013

-54.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$31.6K $31.6K

14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$77.2 $77.2

-23.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.43 $43.43

$55.1 $55.1

-21.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$126 $126

-20.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$163 $163

-35.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$2,464 $2,464

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 $1,306

$1,956 $1,956

-33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,817 $2,817

$4,711 $4,711

-40.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$3,550 $3,550

-38.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,406 $3,406

$7,346 $7,346

-53.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,163 $2,163

$5,048 $5,048

-57.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,128 $4,128

$6,286 $6,286

-34.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.85

-2.77%

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

Last update for Minneapolis, MN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Minneapolis, MN

$1.3K 47.1%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 49.8% $650

Groceries & Markets

Minneapolis, MN

$452 16.3%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 19.9% $90

Eating Out

Minneapolis, MN

$367 13.3%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 11.3% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Minneapolis, MN

$307 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 49.3% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Minneapolis, MN

$139 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 36.4% $51

Getting Around

Minneapolis, MN

$105 3.8%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 26.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Minneapolis, MN

$97 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 17.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,773 in Minneapolis, MN and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Minneapolis, MN vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $542 per month, with Minneapolis, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Minneapolis, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:20 7:20 PM

17:20 5:20 PM

2 h behind Minneapolis, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

429,954

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Minneapolis, MN Seattle, WA 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Minneapolis, MN
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

Minneapolis, MN vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minneapolis, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Minneapolis, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,773 in Minneapolis, MN versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,381 in Minneapolis, MN versus $3,013 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Minneapolis, MN is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Minneapolis, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,772 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Minneapolis, MN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Minneapolis, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.