Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Bedford, MA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in New Bedford, MA: $2,753 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in New Bedford, MA
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New Bedford, MA Living Index
184

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

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New Bedford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,753

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,753 per month in New Bedford, MA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Bedford, MA $2,753
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $3,820 per month in New Bedford, MA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Bedford, MA $3,820
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $4,887 per month in New Bedford, MA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Bedford, MA $4,887
Seattle, WA $7,489

New Bedford, MA is about 27% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both New Bedford, MA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – New Bedford, MA by 103%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.68 $19.68

$24.52 $24.52

-19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$98.2 $98.2

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 $5.95

$14.79 $14.79

-59.77%

Cappuccino

$4.11 $4.11

$6.52 $6.52

-36.96%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$3.23 $3.23

-28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$3.17 $3.17

-61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$7.85 $7.85

-23.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$8.03 $8.03

-49.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.21 $1.21

-16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$5.14 $5.14

-10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$6.05 $6.05

168.76%

Eggs

$6.42 $6.42

$4.88 $4.88

31.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 $10.57

$19.18 $19.18

-44.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$18.91 $18.91

-43.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 $19.16

$23.31 $23.31

-17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.99 $5.99

-10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.93 $1.93

131.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$5.25 $5.25

-35.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$6.57 $6.57

-54.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.62 $3.62

-38.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.31 $3.31

-27.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.78 $2.78

-1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.51 $2.51

14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 $13.07

$12.18 $12.18

7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 $16.85

$14.83 $14.83

13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$4.22 $4.22

-54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$5.77 $5.77

-50.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.65 $2.65

130.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.72 $1.72

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.49 $1.49

-26.85%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-21.51%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.28%

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

$181 $181

$302 $302

-39.96%

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

$36.85 $36.85

$70.1 $70.1

-47.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 $58.6

$85.3 $85.3

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.95 $28.95

$77.8 $77.8

-62.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 $12.43

$17.84 $17.84

-30.33%

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

$2,133 $2,133

$2,973 $2,973

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.67 $38.67

$76.6 $76.6

-49.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.01 $16.01

$54.1 $54.1

-70.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 $99.5

$128 $128

-22.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 $1,869

$2,445 $2,445

-23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,947 $1,947

-18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,615 $2,615

$4,744 $4,744

-44.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$3,469 $3,469

-32.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,641 $4,641

$6,506 $6,506

-28.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

6.89

-21.34%

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

Last update for New Bedford, MA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New Bedford, MA

$1.6K 57.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 23.1% $365

Groceries & Markets

New Bedford, MA

$478 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 14.2% $68

Eating Out

New Bedford, MA

$277 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 44.2% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New Bedford, MA

$277 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 65.3% $181

Clothing & Footwear

New Bedford, MA

$69 * 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 174% $121

Sport & Entertainment

New Bedford, MA

$54 2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 111% $60

Getting Around

New Bedford, MA

$17 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 656% $112

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,869 in New Bedford, MA versus $2,445 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 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 $59.0 in New Bedford, MA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $478 vs $546 – making New Bedford, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New Bedford, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:11 4:11 AM

01:11 1:11 AM

3 h behind New Bedford, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,538

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New Bedford, MA Seattle, WA 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

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New Bedford, MA
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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

New Bedford, MA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,753 in New Bedford, MA, $3,782 in Seattle, WA – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,130 per month in New Bedford, MA and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in New Bedford, MA and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,753 in New Bedford, MA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,753 in New Bedford, MA to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with New Bedford, MA. 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.