Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newton, IA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newton, IA: $1,921 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Newton, IA
🇺🇸 United States
$1,921
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,782
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,921 per month in Newton, IA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Newton, IA $1,921
  • Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $2,851 per month in Newton, IA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Newton, IA $2,851
  • Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $3,780 per month in Newton, IA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Newton, IA $3,780
  • Seattle, WA $7,489

Newton, IA is about 49% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Newton, IA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Newton, IA by 42%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.69 $19.69
$24.52 $24.52
-19.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.6 $61.6
$98.2 $98.2
-37.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.62 $10.62
$14.79 $14.79
-28.19%
Cappuccino
$4.95 $4.95
$6.52 $6.52
-24.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 $2.61
$3.23 $3.23
-19.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$3.17 $3.17
-39.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.10 $5.10
$7.85 $7.85
-35.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.61 $7.61
$8.03 $8.03
-5.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 $0.90
$1.21 $1.21
-25.62%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 $3.22
$5.14 $5.14
-37.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.24 $4.24
$6.05 $6.05
-29.92%
Eggs
$2.74 $2.74
$4.88 $4.88
-43.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.68 $6.68
$19.18 $19.18
-65.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.62 $12.62
$18.91 $18.91
-33.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.80 $16.80
$23.31 $23.31
-27.93%
Apples (1kg)
$5.36 $5.36
$5.99 $5.99
-10.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.93 $1.93
6.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$5.25 $5.25
-9.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$6.57 $6.57
-33.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$3.62 $3.62
-48.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.89 $2.89
$3.31 $3.31
-12.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.00 $2.00
$2.78 $2.78
-28.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.51 $2.51
14.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.19 $9.19
$12.18 $12.18
-24.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.90 $9.90
$14.83 $14.83
-33.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 $1.81
$4.22 $4.22
-57.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.84 $5.84
$5.77 $5.77
1.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.95 $2.95
-25.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$106 $106
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 $3.03
$2.65 $2.65
14.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.72 $1.72
-19.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.81 $24.81
$29.72 $29.72
-16.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.49 $1.49
-29.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K $32.1K
$35.9K $35.9K
-10.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$26.2K $26.2K
-6.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$182 $182
$302 $302
-39.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.8 $62.8
$70.1 $70.1
-10.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.1 $67.1
$85.3 $85.3
-21.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 $73.8
$77.8 $77.8
-5.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.58 $34.58
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.78 $14.78
$17.84 $17.84
-17.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$998 $998
$2,973 $2,973
-66.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.6K $19.6K
$31.3K $31.3K
-37.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.97 $17.97
$76.6 $76.6
-76.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.75 $14.75
$54.1 $54.1
-72.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.8 $80.8
$128 $128
-36.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.4 $99.4
$164 $164
-39.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$842 $842
$2,445 $2,445
-65.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$707 $707
$1,947 $1,947
-63.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,443 $1,443
$4,744 $4,744
-69.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 $1,147
$3,469 $3,469
-66.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,734 $2,734
$7,367 $7,367
-62.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,560 $2,560
$5,127 $5,127
-50.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Newton, IA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$6,506 $6,506
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
6.89
-4.64%

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

Last update for Newton, IA: 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
Newton, IA
$707
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 175% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Newton, IA
$377
Seattle, WA
$546 44.8% $169
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newton, IA
$311
Seattle, WA
$457 46.8% $146
Eating Out
Newton, IA
$308
Seattle, WA
$400 30% $92
Sport & Entertainment
Newton, IA
$103
Seattle, WA
$114 9.9% $10
Clothing & Footwear
Newton, IA
$96
Seattle, WA
$190 98.6% $94
Getting Around
Newton, IA
$19 *
Seattle, WA
$129 589% $111

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Newton, IA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Newton, IA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $546 – making Newton, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Newton, IA
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
03:47 3:47 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
2 h behind Newton, IA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,146
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Newton, IA Seattle, WA 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Newton, IA
  • 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
Newton, IA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seattle, WA cheaper than Newton, IA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 97%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,881 per month in Newton, IA and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Newton, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Newton, IA or in Seattle, WA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Newton, IA and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Newton, IA and in Seattle, WA?
Groceries cost about 45% 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.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Newton, IA or in Seattle, WA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Newton, IA, where all-in costs run around $1,921, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Newton, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Newton, IA or Seattle, WA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Newton, IA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Newton, IA. 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.

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