Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Alberni: $1,698 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Port Alberni
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Port Alberni Living Index
182

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

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Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,698

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,698 in Port Alberni versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

Port Alberni $1,698
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,856 in Port Alberni versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

Port Alberni $2,856
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,013 in Port Alberni versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

Port Alberni $4,013
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in Port Alberni costs roughly 55% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Alberni 26% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$25.60

$23.80 $23.80

-23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 CA$86.9

$98.6 $98.6

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$14.99

$14.94 $14.94

-28.65%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.58

$6.79 $6.79

-41.53%

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

$2.12 CA$2.98

$3.23 $3.23

-34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$3.15 $3.15

-53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 CA$4.98

$8.21 $8.21

-56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CA$7.62

$7.87 $7.87

-31.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$3.00

$1.17 $1.17

82.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$5.29 $5.29

-55.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.99

$5.76 $5.76

-50.69%

Eggs

$3.88 CA$5.46

$4.89 $4.89

-20.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 CA$13.23

$20.25 $20.25

-53.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.18

$17.95 $17.95

-75.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.81 CA$27.86

$23.35 $23.35

-15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$5.94 $5.94

-52.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.89 $1.89

-42.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$5.35 $5.35

-32.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.02

$6.57 $6.57

-45.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$3.39 $3.39

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.59

$2.88 $2.88

-36.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$3.04

$2.89 $2.89

-25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.96

$2.43 $2.43

-71.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CA$15.30

$12.18 $12.18

-10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 CA$15.33

$15.24 $15.24

-28.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$4.38 $4.38

-42.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.91

$5.89 $5.89

-52.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.06

$2.96 $2.96

-50.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.80 CA$48.95

$109 $109

-68.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.52 $2.52

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.28

$1.72 $1.72

-5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.19 CA$45.27

$29.70 $29.70

8.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.51 $1.51

-19.87%

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

$26.2K CA$36.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-27.58%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$25.7K $25.7K

-15.93%

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

$86.8 CA$122

$289 $289

-69.95%

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

$36.12 CA$50.8

$69.1 $69.1

-47.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 CA$70.7

$84.8 $84.8

-40.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 CA$59.3

$69.4 $69.4

-39.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 CA$17.82

$17.97 $17.97

-29.49%

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

$1,067 CA$1,500

$2,819 $2,819

-62.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K CA$41.1K

$43.9K $43.9K

-33.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 CA$80.9

$91.2 $91.2

-36.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 CA$47.48

$55.1 $55.1

-38.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 CA$130

$127 $127

-27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 CA$129

$162 $162

-43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 CA$1,120

$2,579 $2,579

-69.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 CA$1,003

$1,943 $1,943

-63.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CA$2,393

$5,100 $5,100

-66.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,437

$3,541 $3,541

-51.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,108 CA$4,371

$6,448 $6,448

-51.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

6.8

-37.65%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: November 2, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Port Alberni

$713 42%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 172% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Port Alberni

$301 17.7%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 80.8% $243

Eating Out

Port Alberni

$268 15.8%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 48.9% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Alberni

$173 10.2%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 156% $269

Clothing & Footwear

Port Alberni

$124 7.3%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 58% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Port Alberni

$67 4%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 56.1% $38

Getting Around

Port Alberni

$52 3%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 157% $81

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $796 in Port Alberni and $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays about 2.1 times 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: $62 in Port Alberni vs $99 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $544 per month, with Port Alberni cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Port Alberni

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

17:07 5:07 PM

16:07 4:07 PM

1 h behind Port Alberni

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,743

737,015

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.636 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Port Alberni Seattle, WA 260 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Port Alberni vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Alberni is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Port Alberni. 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: $796 in Port Alberni versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Alberni – a meal for two runs $62 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,698 per month in Port Alberni versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA – Port Alberni is about 55% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,698 in Port Alberni versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Port Alberni but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Port Alberni 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 Port Alberni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.