Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moses Lake, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Moses Lake, WA: $2,396 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in Moses Lake, WA
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Moses Lake, WA Living Index
184

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

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Moses Lake, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,396

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,396 per month in Moses Lake, WA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Moses Lake, WA $2,396
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,595 per month in Moses Lake, WA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Moses Lake, WA $3,595
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,795 per month in Moses Lake, WA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Moses Lake, WA $4,795
Seattle, WA $7,592

Moses Lake, WA is about 37% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Moses Lake, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Moses Lake, WA by 76%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 $18.18

$25.30 $25.30

-28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$101 $101

-20.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 $12.28

$14.76 $14.76

-16.80%

Cappuccino

$4.38 $4.38

$6.50 $6.50

-32.62%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$3.21 $3.21

-8.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.14 $3.14

-18.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 $4.61

$7.97 $7.97

-42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$8.13 $8.13

0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.17 $1.17

-36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.30 $5.30

-27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$6.40 $6.40

-36.25%

Eggs

$3.50 $3.50

$5.06 $5.06

-30.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 $9.10

$18.71 $18.71

-51.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$18.72 $18.72

-40.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$22.88 $22.88

-41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.06 $6.06

-2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.51 $5.51

-2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.52 $6.52

-13.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.29 $3.29

-1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.80 $2.80

3.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.58 $2.58

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$12.49 $12.49

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.87 $14.87

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$4.19 $4.19

-57.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.80 $5.80

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.05 $3.05

-34.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 $67.0

$106 $106

-36.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 $1.64

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.13 $30.13

$30.12 $30.12

0.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.41 $1.41

-17.73%

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

$31.5K $31.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-14.32%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.76%

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

$154 $154

$308 $308

-49.79%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$69.2 $69.2

1.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$86.1 $86.1

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 $41.80

$76.5 $76.5

-45.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 $11.65

$18.02 $18.02

-35.35%

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

$1,113 $1,113

$2,746 $2,746

-59.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$30.6K $30.6K

1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$79.2 $79.2

-33.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.09 $25.09

$54.3 $54.3

-53.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.61 $46.61

$127 $127

-63.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 $81.4

$159 $159

-48.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$2,508 $2,508

-39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 $1,167

$1,938 $1,938

-39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,244 $2,244

$5,117 $5,117

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 $2,029

$3,542 $3,542

-42.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,621 $2,621

$7,374 $7,374

-64.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,840 $2,840

$5,002 $5,002

-43.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,063 $9,063

$6,470 $6,470

40.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

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

Last update for Moses Lake, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moses Lake, WA

$1.2K 48.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 66.1% $771

Groceries & Markets

Moses Lake, WA

$390 16.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 40.4% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moses Lake, WA

$300 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 54.2% $163

Eating Out

Moses Lake, WA

$296 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 37.1% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Moses Lake, WA

$93 3.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 104% $96

Getting Around

Moses Lake, WA

$85 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 51.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Moses Lake, WA

$65 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 72.8% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,505 in Moses Lake, WA 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 40% higher in Moses Lake, 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 $80 in Moses Lake, WA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $547 – making Moses Lake, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Moses Lake, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

20:45 8:45 PM

Same time as Moses Lake, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,146

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Moses Lake, WA Seattle, WA 240 km

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Moses Lake, 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

Moses Lake, WA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 58% more than Moses Lake, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,594 per month in Moses Lake, WA 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 Moses Lake, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $1,113 per month in Moses Lake, WA 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 40% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA 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 Moses Lake, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Moses Lake, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 37% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.