Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montgomery, AL: $2,354 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index
185

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

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Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,354

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Montgomery, AL versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Montgomery, AL $2,354
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,197 in Montgomery, AL versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Montgomery, AL $3,197
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,039 in Montgomery, AL versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Montgomery, AL $4,039
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Montgomery, AL costs roughly 38% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montgomery, AL 74% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 $16.11

$25.32 $25.32

-36.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 $55.6

$101 $101

-45.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 $10.30

$14.85 $14.85

-30.64%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$6.59 $6.59

-18.66%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$3.22 $3.22

-18.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.14 $3.14

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$8.18 $8.18

-46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$8.03 $8.03

-39.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.21 $1.21

-29.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$5.12 $5.12

-29.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$6.30 $6.30

-67.46%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$4.90 $4.90

-35.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$19.10 $19.10

-58.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 $7.39

$18.50 $18.50

-60.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$23.03 $23.03

-38.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$5.81 $5.81

-31.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.95 $1.95

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$5.29 $5.29

-62.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$6.48 $6.48

-35.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.57 $3.57

-12.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.15 $3.15

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.85 $2.85

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.42 $2.42

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 $8.89

$12.75 $12.75

-30.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.99 $14.99

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.17 $4.17

-53.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$5.99 $5.99

-35.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.04 $3.04

-32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.02 $45.02

$110 $110

-59.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.55 $2.55

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.64 $1.64

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.54 $25.54

$29.58 $29.58

-13.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.42 $1.42

-36.62%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-11.24%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.51%

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

$309 $309

$299 $299

3.41%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$70.8 $70.8

-28.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$88.3 $88.3

-17.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.83 $37.83

$79.5 $79.5

-52.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 $28.52

$35.37 $35.37

-19.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 $9.81

$17.12 $17.12

-42.70%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$3,013 $3,013

-54.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$31.6K $31.6K

-56.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.94 $48.94

$77.2 $77.2

-36.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 $35.52

$55.1 $55.1

-35.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$126 $126

-31.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 $96.5

$163 $163

-40.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$2,464 $2,464

-47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

$1,956 $1,956

-44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$4,711 $4,711

-66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 $1,455

$3,550 $3,550

-59.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,368 $1,368

$7,346 $7,346

-81.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 $1,309

$5,048 $5,048

-74.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,632 $3,632

$6,286 $6,286

-42.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.85

-4.53%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: 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

Montgomery, AL

$1.1K 46%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 80.4% $872

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montgomery, AL

$432 18.4%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 5.9% $26

Groceries & Markets

Montgomery, AL

$322 13.7%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 68.3% $220

Eating Out

Montgomery, AL

$274 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 48.9% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Montgomery, AL

$120 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 57.4% $69

Getting Around

Montgomery, AL

$64 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 109% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Montgomery, AL

$57 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 98% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Montgomery, AL and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 73% 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: $56.0 in Montgomery, AL vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $542 per month, with Montgomery, AL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

13:15 1:15 PM

11:15 11:15 AM

2 h behind Montgomery, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,603

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Montgomery, AL Seattle, WA 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Montgomery, AL
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

Montgomery, AL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montgomery, AL and Seattle, WA differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $3,800 including rent). Montgomery, AL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $1,287 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montgomery, AL – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,354 per month in Montgomery, AL versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,354 in Montgomery, AL versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Montgomery, AL but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Montgomery, AL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Montgomery, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.