Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Plano, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Plano, TX: $2,657 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Plano, TX
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Plano, TX Living Index
182

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

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Plano, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,657

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Plano, TX versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

Plano, TX $2,657
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,976 in Plano, TX versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

Plano, TX $3,976
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,294 in Plano, TX versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

Plano, TX $5,294
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in Plano, TX costs roughly 29% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Plano, TX 97% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.38 $20.38

$23.80 $23.80

-14.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$98.6 $98.6

-23.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$14.94 $14.94

-32.60%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$6.79 $6.79

-19.44%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$3.23 $3.23

0.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.15 $3.15

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 $6.69

$8.21 $8.21

-18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 $7.41

$7.87 $7.87

-5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.17 $1.17

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$5.29 $5.29

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.76 $5.76

-18.40%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$4.89 $4.89

-6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$20.25 $20.25

-34.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$17.95 $17.95

-36.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$23.35 $23.35

-19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.94 $5.94

-20.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.89 $1.89

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$5.35 $5.35

-48.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$6.57 $6.57

-52.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.39 $3.39

-31.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.88 $2.88

-3.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.89 $2.89

-33.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.43 $2.43

18.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$12.18 $12.18

-17.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.95 $15.95

$15.24 $15.24

4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.38 $4.38

-61.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$5.89 $5.89

-42.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.96 $2.96

2.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$125 $125

$109 $109

14.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.52 $2.52

16.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.72 $1.72

-0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 $15.21

$29.70 $29.70

-48.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.51 $1.51

-34.44%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$36.2K $36.2K

-26.33%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.47%

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

$192 $192

$289 $289

-33.37%

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

$46.16 $46.16

$69.1 $69.1

-33.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 $56.0

$84.8 $84.8

-34.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.38 $37.38

$69.4 $69.4

-46.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.94 $3.94

$35.05 $35.05

-88.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$17.97 $17.97

-16.75%

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

$1,124 $1,124

$2,819 $2,819

-60.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$43.9K $43.9K

-42.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$91.2 $91.2

-33.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.13 $38.13

$55.1 $55.1

-30.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$127 $127

-31.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.4 $68.4

$162 $162

-57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$2,579 $2,579

-38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$1,943 $1,943

-32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$5,100 $5,100

-52.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 $2,319

$3,541 $3,541

-34.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,609 $2,609

$7,357 $7,357

-64.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,314 $2,314

$4,921 $4,921

-52.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,625 $5,625

$6,448 $6,448

-12.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.8

-4.26%

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

Last update for Plano, TX: November 3, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Plano, TX

$1.3K 49.3%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 48.2% $632

Groceries & Markets

Plano, TX

$393 14.8%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 38.3% $151

Eating Out

Plano, TX

$329 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 21.2% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Plano, TX

$295 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 50.3% $148

Getting Around

Plano, TX

$148 5.6%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 10.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Plano, TX

$114 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 71.5% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Plano, TX

$67 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 56.6% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,585 in Plano, TX and $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 15% 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: $76 in Plano, TX vs $99 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $544 per month, with Plano, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Plano, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

11:29 11:29 AM

2 h behind Plano, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

288,253

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Plano, TX Seattle, WA 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Plano, TX
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

Plano, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plano, TX is about 29% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Plano, TX. 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: $1,585 in Plano, TX versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,124 in Plano, TX versus $2,819 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

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.

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