Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Arthur, TX: $2,634 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Arthur, TX, United States
Seattle, WA, United States
Port Arthur, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,634
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,634 in Port Arthur, TX versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

  • Port Arthur, TX $2,634
  • Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,860 in Port Arthur, TX versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

  • Port Arthur, TX $3,860
  • Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,086 in Port Arthur, TX versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

  • Port Arthur, TX $5,086
  • Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Port Arthur, TX costs roughly 30% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Arthur, TX 94% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.63 $18.63
$25.30 $25.30
-26.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.1 $74.1
$101 $101
-26.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 $11.20
$14.76 $14.76
-24.12%
Cappuccino
$4.96 $4.96
$6.50 $6.50
-23.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$3.21 $3.21
-20.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$3.14 $3.14
-38.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.15 $6.15
$7.97 $7.97
-22.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.94 $6.94
$8.13 $8.13
-14.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.17 $1.17
-11.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.43 $3.43
$5.30 $5.30
-35.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$6.40 $6.40
-32.50%
Eggs
$4.03 $4.03
$5.06 $5.06
-20.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.42 $12.42
$18.71 $18.71
-33.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.57 $11.57
$18.72 $18.72
-38.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.59 $15.59
$22.88 $22.88
-31.86%
Apples (1kg)
$4.86 $4.86
$6.06 $6.06
-19.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.95 $1.95
-17.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.26 $4.26
$5.51 $5.51
-22.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 $4.69
$6.52 $6.52
-28.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$3.49 $3.49
-16.91%
Onion (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$3.29 $3.29
-11.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.80 $2.80
-24.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$2.58 $2.58
-15.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.43 $9.43
$12.49 $12.49
-24.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.75 $13.75
$14.87 $14.87
-7.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$4.19 $4.19
-57.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$5.80 $5.80
-43.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$3.05 $3.05
-33.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.3 $66.3
$106 $106
-37.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 $3.52
$2.58 $2.58
36.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.64 $1.64
-2.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.41 $29.41
$30.12 $30.12
-2.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.41 $1.41
-39.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K $30.1K
$36.8K $36.8K
-18.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$26.6K $26.6K
-2.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$190 $190
$308 $308
-38.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.1 $53.1
$69.2 $69.2
-23.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.2 $66.2
$86.1 $86.1
-23.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.60 $43.60
$76.5 $76.5
-42.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.50 $35.50
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 $13.73
$18.02 $18.02
-23.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,279 $1,279
$2,746 $2,746
-53.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.4K $23.4K
$30.6K $30.6K
-23.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.2 $50.2
$79.2 $79.2
-36.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.34 $39.34
$54.3 $54.3
-27.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 $86.8
$127 $127
-31.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$159 $159
-28.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,625 $1,625
$2,508 $2,508
-35.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,346 $1,346
$1,938 $1,938
-30.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,594 $2,594
$5,117 $5,117
-49.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,244 $2,244
$3,542 $3,542
-36.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,790 $2,790
$7,374 $7,374
-62.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,405 $2,405
$5,002 $5,002
-51.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Arthur, TX
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$6,470 $6,470
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
6.89
-5.52%

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

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Arthur, TX
$1.3K
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 44% $593
Groceries & Markets
Port Arthur, TX
$387
Seattle, WA
$547 41.5% $160
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Arthur, TX
$310
Seattle, WA
$463 49.4% $153
Eating Out
Port Arthur, TX
$305
Seattle, WA
$406 33.3% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Port Arthur, TX
$130
Seattle, WA
$189 44.8% $58
Getting Around
Port Arthur, TX
$86
Seattle, WA
$129 50.1% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Port Arthur, TX
$71
Seattle, WA
$112 58.3% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Port Arthur, TX and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Port Arthur, TX vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $547 per month, with Port Arthur, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Port Arthur, TX
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
11:07 11:07 AM
09:07 9:07 AM
2 h behind Port Arthur, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,135
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
  • Port Arthur, TX Seattle, WA 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Arthur, 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
Port Arthur, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Arthur, TX cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Port Arthur, TX is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,951 in Port Arthur, TX and $5,677 in Seattle, WA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Port Arthur, TX and Seattle, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in Port Arthur, TX versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,279 in Port Arthur, TX versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Port Arthur, TX and in Seattle, WA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Port Arthur, TX or in Seattle, WA?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Port Arthur, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Port Arthur, TX or in 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Port Arthur, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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