Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Vernon, WA: $2,824 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Mount Vernon, WA
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Mount Vernon, WA Living Index
184

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

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Mount Vernon, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,824

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Mount Vernon, WA $2,824
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,983 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Mount Vernon, WA $3,983
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,142 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Mount Vernon, WA $5,142
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Mount Vernon, WA costs roughly 25% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mount Vernon, WA 108% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.45 $22.45

$24.52 $24.52

-8.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$98.2 $98.2

-38.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$14.79 $14.79

-10.34%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$6.52 $6.52

-6.29%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$3.23 $3.23

-28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.17 $3.17

-48.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$7.85 $7.85

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 $9.69

$8.03 $8.03

20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.21 $1.21

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.14 $5.14

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$6.05 $6.05

-52.56%

Eggs

$5.59 $5.59

$4.88 $4.88

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$19.18 $19.18

-43.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$18.91 $18.91

-65.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$23.31 $23.31

-64.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$5.99 $5.99

-6.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.93 $1.93

21.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.25 $5.25

2.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$6.57 $6.57

-31.96%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.62 $3.62

35.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.31 $3.31

-41.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.78 $2.78

-27.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.51 $2.51

-18.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 $5.83

$12.18 $12.18

-52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.66 $19.66

$14.83 $14.83

32.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$4.22 $4.22

-50.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$5.77 $5.77

-55.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$106 $106

-71.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.49 $1.49

-22.15%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.18%

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

$19.3K $19.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

-26.44%

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

$156 $156

$302 $302

-48.33%

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

$44.58 $44.58

$70.1 $70.1

-36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$85.3 $85.3

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 $69.6

$77.8 $77.8

-10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 $13.40

$17.84 $17.84

-24.89%

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

$1,931 $1,931

$2,973 $2,973

-35.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$48.3K $48.3K

$31.3K $31.3K

54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$76.6 $76.6

-47.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 $30.34

$54.1 $54.1

-43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$128 $128

-38.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 $80.3

$164 $164

-51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$2,445 $2,445

-37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$1,947 $1,947

-17.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 $2,476

$4,744 $4,744

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,484 $2,484

$3,469 $3,469

-28.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,038 $4,038

$7,367 $7,367

-45.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,996 $3,996

$5,127 $5,127

-22.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,853 $3,853

$6,506 $6,506

-40.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.89

-6.82%

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

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mount Vernon, WA

$1.6K 56.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 21.7% $347

Groceries & Markets

Mount Vernon, WA

$367 13%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 48.5% $178

Eating Out

Mount Vernon, WA

$362 12.8%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 10.4% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mount Vernon, WA

$265 9.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 72.4% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Mount Vernon, WA

$103 3.7%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 84.2% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Mount Vernon, WA

$96 3.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 17.8% $17

Getting Around

Mount Vernon, WA

$30 * 1.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 330% $99

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,525 in Mount Vernon, WA and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 69% 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: $60.0 in Mount Vernon, WA vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $546 per month, with Mount Vernon, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mount Vernon, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

Same time as Mount Vernon, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,893

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

Mount Vernon, WA Seattle, WA 91 km

From you

Mount Vernon, 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

Mount Vernon, WA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Vernon, WA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 69% 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: $1,525 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mount Vernon, WA – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mount Vernon, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mount Vernon, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mount Vernon, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.