Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Owensboro, KY and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Owensboro, KY: $1,977 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Owensboro, KY, United States
Seattle, WA, United States
Owensboro, KY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,977
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,977 in Owensboro, KY versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

  • Owensboro, KY $1,977
  • Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,919 in Owensboro, KY versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

  • Owensboro, KY $2,919
  • Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,861 in Owensboro, KY versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

  • Owensboro, KY $3,861
  • Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Owensboro, KY costs roughly 48% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Owensboro, KY 45% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.39 $19.39
$25.30 $25.30
-23.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.8 $59.8
$101 $101
-40.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.82 $9.82
$14.76 $14.76
-33.47%
Cappuccino
$5.53 $5.53
$6.50 $6.50
-14.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$3.21 $3.21
-41.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 $1.35
$3.14 $3.14
-57.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.99 $3.99
$7.97 $7.97
-49.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 $4.96
$8.13 $8.13
-38.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.17 $1.17
-32.48%
White Bread (500g)
$3.24 $3.24
$5.30 $5.30
-38.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$6.40 $6.40
-33.13%
Eggs
$3.02 $3.02
$5.06 $5.06
-40.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.67 $6.67
$18.71 $18.71
-64.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 $11.01
$18.72 $18.72
-41.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.10 $12.10
$22.88 $22.88
-47.12%
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$6.06 $6.06
-28.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.95 $1.95
-36.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$5.51 $5.51
-51.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 $3.56
$6.52 $6.52
-45.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.27 $2.27
$3.49 $3.49
-34.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$3.29 $3.29
-34.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$2.80 $2.80
-26.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 $1.51
$2.58 $2.58
-41.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.73 $8.73
$12.49 $12.49
-30.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.85 $7.85
$14.87 $14.87
-47.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$4.19 $4.19
-55.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$5.80 $5.80
-14.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 $1.02
$3.05 $3.05
-66.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.58 $30.58
$106 $106
-71.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.54 $5.54
$2.58 $2.58
114.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.64 $1.64
-36.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.13 $18.13
$30.12 $30.12
-39.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.41 $1.41
-39.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$36.8K $36.8K
-24.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$26.6K $26.6K
2.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 $172
$308 $308
-44.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.9 $60.9
$69.2 $69.2
-11.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7 $59.7
$86.1 $86.1
-30.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.91 $49.91
$76.5 $76.5
-34.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.17 $10.17
$35.50 $35.50
-71.35%
Cinema Ticket
$13.19 $13.19
$18.02 $18.02
-26.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$2,746 $2,746
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$30.6K $30.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.5 $74.5
$79.2 $79.2
-5.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.29 $43.29
$54.3 $54.3
-20.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.0 $68.0
$127 $127
-46.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 $89.3
$159 $159
-43.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$844 $844
$2,508 $2,508
-66.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 $834
$1,938 $1,938
-56.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,441 $1,441
$5,117 $5,117
-71.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,364 $1,364
$3,542 $3,542
-61.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,744 $1,744
$7,374 $7,374
-76.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,738 $1,738
$5,002 $5,002
-65.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Owensboro, KY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,362 $3,362
$6,470 $6,470
-48.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
6.89
-4.93%

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

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Owensboro, KY
$834
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 132% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Owensboro, KY
$311
Seattle, WA
$547 75.9% $236
Eating Out
Owensboro, KY
$294
Seattle, WA
$406 38.3% $113
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Owensboro, KY
$293
Seattle, WA
$463 58.2% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Owensboro, KY
$124
Seattle, WA
$189 52.4% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Owensboro, KY
$76
Seattle, WA
$112 47.5% $36
Getting Around
Owensboro, KY
$45
Seattle, WA
$129 184% $84

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Owensboro, KY and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 92% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $60 in Owensboro, KY vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $547 per month, with Owensboro, KY cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
07:17 7:17 AM
05:17 5:17 AM
2 h behind Owensboro, KY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
55,525
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Owensboro, KY Seattle, WA 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Owensboro, KY
  • 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
Owensboro, KY vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Owensboro, KY or Seattle, WA?
Owensboro, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Owensboro, KY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Owensboro, KY or in Seattle, WA?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Owensboro, KY. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Owensboro, KY compared to Seattle, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $844 in Owensboro, KY versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Owensboro, KY and in Seattle, WA?
Dining out is cheaper in Owensboro, KY – a meal for two runs $60 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How expensive is transport in Owensboro, KY compared to Seattle, WA?
A monthly transit pass in Owensboro, KY runs roughly 71% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Owensboro, KY or Seattle, WA?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Owensboro, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Owensboro, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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