Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,823 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

136

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index
184

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

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Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Philadelphia, PA $2,823
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,218 in Philadelphia, PA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Philadelphia, PA $4,218
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,612 in Philadelphia, PA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Philadelphia, PA $5,612
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Philadelphia, PA costs roughly 25% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philadelphia, PA 107% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 $23.40

$25.30 $25.30

-7.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$101 $101

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$14.76 $14.76

-13.75%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$6.50 $6.50

-18.15%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.21 $3.21

-6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.14 $3.14

-28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.97 $7.97

-26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.13 $8.13

0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.17 $1.17

23.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.30 $5.30

-18.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$6.40 $6.40

10.00%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$5.06 $5.06

-2.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$18.71 $18.71

-36.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$18.72 $18.72

-33.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 $17.21

$22.88 $22.88

-24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.06 $6.06

-7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.95 $1.95

-17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.51 $5.51

0.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$6.52 $6.52

-14.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.49 $3.49

-17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.29 $3.29

-3.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.80 $2.80

-8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.58 $2.58

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$12.49 $12.49

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.87 $14.87

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$4.19 $4.19

-44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.80 $5.80

-24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.05 $3.05

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 $117

$106 $106

10.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.58 $2.58

9.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 $1.64

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.53 $23.53

$30.12 $30.12

-21.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.41 $1.41

-21.99%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-13.58%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.87%

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

$224 $224

$308 $308

-27.30%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$69.2 $69.2

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$86.1 $86.1

-21.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$76.5 $76.5

-7.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$88.9 $88.9

$35.50 $35.50

150.34%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$18.02 $18.02

-16.04%

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

$2,117 $2,117

$2,746 $2,746

-22.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.8K $41.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

36.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$79.2 $79.2

-36.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 $43.91

$54.3 $54.3

-19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$127 $127

-19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$159 $159

-10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 $2,069

$2,508 $2,508

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,938 $1,938

-34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,571 $4,571

$5,117 $5,117

-10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 $2,103

$3,542 $3,542

-40.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,141 $4,141

$7,374 $7,374

-43.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 $1,890

$5,002 $5,002

-62.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 $4,139

$6,470 $6,470

-36.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.89

-3.34%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 44.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 52.8% $670

Groceries & Markets

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 21.6% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 30% $107

Eating Out

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 14.2% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Philadelphia, PA

$152 5.4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 23.9% $36

Getting Around

Philadelphia, PA

$139 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 7.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Philadelphia, PA

$101 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 11% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 56% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Philadelphia, PA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $547 per month, with Philadelphia, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:41 2:41 AM

23:41 11:41 PM

3 h behind Philadelphia, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,573,916

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Philadelphia, PA Seattle, WA 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Philadelphia, PA
Seattle, WA

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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

Philadelphia, PA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Philadelphia, PA. 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: $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,823 per month in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Philadelphia, PA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Philadelphia, PA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Philadelphia, PA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.