Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norfolk, VA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,428 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
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Norfolk, VA Living Index
185

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

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Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,428 in Norfolk, VA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Norfolk, VA $2,428
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,629 in Norfolk, VA versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Norfolk, VA $3,629
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,829 in Norfolk, VA versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Norfolk, VA $4,829
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Norfolk, VA costs roughly 36% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Norfolk, VA 80% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$25.32 $25.32

-26.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$101 $101

-10.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$14.85 $14.85

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$6.59 $6.59

-10.47%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$3.22 $3.22

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.14 $3.14

-33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$8.18 $8.18

-24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.03 $8.03

-11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.21 $1.21

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$5.12 $5.12

-22.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$6.30 $6.30

-12.70%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.90 $4.90

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$19.10 $19.10

-18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$18.50 $18.50

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$23.03 $23.03

-21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.81 $5.81

-16.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.95 $1.95

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.29 $5.29

-6.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$6.48 $6.48

-12.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.57 $3.57

-37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.15 $3.15

14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.85 $2.85

-34.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.42 $2.42

-11.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$12.75 $12.75

-27.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$14.99 $14.99

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$4.17 $4.17

-57.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$5.99 $5.99

-54.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.04 $3.04

-35.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$110 $110

-5.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.55 $2.55

82.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.64 $1.64

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.09 $18.09

$29.58 $29.58

-38.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.42 $1.42

-30.28%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$35.7K $35.7K

-1.76%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.11%

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

$213 $213

$299 $299

-28.68%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$70.8 $70.8

-20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$88.3 $88.3

-24.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 $40.15

$79.5 $79.5

-49.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$35.37 $35.37

-49.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$17.12 $17.12

-31.25%

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

$1,480 $1,480

$3,013 $3,013

-50.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$31.6K $31.6K

-49.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$77.2 $77.2

-29.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.10 $48.10

$55.1 $55.1

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$126 $126

-26.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$163 $163

-25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 $1,233

$2,464 $2,464

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,956 $1,956

-47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 $2,158

$4,711 $4,711

-54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$3,550 $3,550

-52.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,458 $2,458

$7,346 $7,346

-66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,304 $2,304

$5,048 $5,048

-54.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 $3,423

$6,286 $6,286

-45.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.85

-4.09%

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

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 89.5% $924

Groceries & Markets

Norfolk, VA

$412 17%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 31.5% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 36.2% $122

Eating Out

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 28.3% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 33.5% $47

Getting Around

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 8.2% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 78.6% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Norfolk, VA and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 84% 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: $91.0 in Norfolk, VA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $542 per month, with Norfolk, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

16:30 4:30 PM

13:30 1:30 PM

3 h behind Norfolk, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

242,803

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

Norfolk, VA Seattle, WA 3,910 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Norfolk, VA
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

Norfolk, VA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Norfolk, VA and Seattle, WA differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($2,428 vs $3,800 including rent). Norfolk, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% 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: $1,233 in Norfolk, VA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,480 in Norfolk, VA versus $3,013 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,428 in Norfolk, VA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Norfolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Norfolk, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Norfolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.