Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in New Westminster: $2,532 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in New Westminster
Learn more

New Westminster Living Index
182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

New Westminster

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,532

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,532 per month in New Westminster vs $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Westminster $2,532
Seattle, WA $3,762

A couple spends around $3,775 per month in New Westminster vs $5,651 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Westminster $3,775
Seattle, WA $5,651

A family of three spends $5,019 per month in New Westminster vs $7,541 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

New Westminster $5,019
Seattle, WA $7,541

New Westminster is about 33% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New Westminster and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – New Westminster by 87%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 CA$27.73

$23.80 $23.80

-16.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 CA$74.2

$98.6 $98.6

-46.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 CA$14.79

$14.94 $14.94

-29.38%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.91

$6.79 $6.79

-48.31%

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

$1.99 CA$2.80

$3.23 $3.23

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$3.15 $3.15

-49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.35

$8.21 $8.21

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$7.87 $7.87

-29.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.17 $1.17

60.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 CA$3.31

$5.29 $5.29

-55.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.95

$5.76 $5.76

-38.72%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.07

$4.89 $4.89

-25.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 CA$15.42

$20.25 $20.25

-45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.58 CA$21.84

$17.95 $17.95

-13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.41 CA$38.42

$23.35 $23.35

17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$5.94 $5.94

-34.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.89 $1.89

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.17

$5.35 $5.35

-31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$6.57 $6.57

-46.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.44

$3.39 $3.39

-27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$2.88 $2.88

-23.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.89 $2.89

-20.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$2.43 $2.43

-21.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.85 CA$22.22

$12.18 $12.18

30.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 CA$14.99

$15.24 $15.24

-29.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$4.38 $4.38

-52.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.93

$5.89 $5.89

-52.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.96 $2.96

-17.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.2 CA$128

$109 $109

-16.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.52 $2.52

3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.72 $1.72

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.96 CA$39.20

$29.70 $29.70

-5.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.51 $1.51

-11.26%

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

$24.0K CA$33.6K

$36.2K $36.2K

-33.74%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$25.7K $25.7K

-18.64%

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

$145 CA$203

$289 $289

-49.93%

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

$43.66 CA$61.2

$69.1 $69.1

-36.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 CA$93.1

$84.8 $84.8

-21.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 CA$47.22

$69.4 $69.4

-51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.17 CA$25.47

$35.05 $35.05

-48.16%

Cinema Ticket

$12.44 CA$17.44

$17.97 $17.97

-30.77%

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

$786 CA$1,102

$2,819 $2,819

-72.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K CA$18.9K

$43.9K $43.9K

-69.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 CA$75.4

$91.2 $91.2

-41.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.83 CA$64.2

$55.1 $55.1

-16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 CA$118

$127 $127

-34.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$159

$162 $162

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,229

$2,579 $2,579

-38.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CA$1,795

$1,943 $1,943

-34.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,810 CA$3,939

$5,100 $5,100

-44.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 CA$3,170

$3,541 $3,541

-36.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,896 CA$6,862

$7,357 $7,357

-33.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,043 CA$5,667

$4,921 $4,921

-17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 CA$4,412

$6,448 $6,448

-51.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

6.8

-30.59%

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

Last update for New Westminster: November 2, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New Westminster

$1.3K 50.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 51.7% $662

Groceries & Markets

New Westminster

$406 16%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 34% $138

Eating Out

New Westminster

$287 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 38.9% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New Westminster

$255 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 73.8% $188

Clothing & Footwear

New Westminster

$134 5.3%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 46.7% $62

Getting Around

New Westminster

$112 4.4%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 18.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

New Westminster

$59 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 79.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,590 in New Westminster versus $2,579 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 in Seattle, WA are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in New Westminster versus $99 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $544 – making New Westminster the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 New Westminster

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

06:18 6:18 AM

1 h behind New Westminster

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,000

737,015

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New Westminster Seattle, WA 180 km

From you

New Westminster
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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 49% more than New Westminster, 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 $3,798 per month in New Westminster and $5,642 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 Westminster, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,590 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $786 per month in New Westminster and $2,819 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,532 in New Westminster and $3,762 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward New Westminster – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with New Westminster. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.