Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pullman, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Pullman, WA: $2,285 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Pullman, WA
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Pullman, WA Living Index
184

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

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Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,285

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Pullman, WA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $2,285
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,359 per month in Pullman, WA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $3,359
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,434 per month in Pullman, WA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $4,434
Seattle, WA $7,592

Pullman, WA is about 40% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pullman, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Pullman, WA by 68%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$25.30 $25.30

-35.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$101 $101

-35.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$14.76 $14.76

-39.43%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$6.50 $6.50

-29.54%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$3.21 $3.21

-32.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.14 $3.14

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 $5.42

$7.97 $7.97

-31.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$8.13 $8.13

-34.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 $1.17

-12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.30 $5.30

-29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$6.40 $6.40

-41.09%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$5.06 $5.06

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.82 $20.82

$18.71 $18.71

11.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$18.72 $18.72

-26.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 $23.50

$22.88 $22.88

2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.06 $6.06

-20.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.95 $1.95

7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.51 $5.51

-37.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$6.52 $6.52

27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.49 $3.49

-23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.29 $3.29

-7.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.80 $2.80

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.58 $2.58

5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.37 $8.37

$12.49 $12.49

-32.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 $13.41

$14.87 $14.87

-9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.19 $4.19

-58.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$5.80 $5.80

51.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$3.05 $3.05

-67.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 $29.90

$106 $106

-71.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.58 $2.58

59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.64 $1.64

132.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.85 $49.85

$30.12 $30.12

65.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.41 $1.41

-24.11%

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

$19.7K $19.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-46.57%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

-24.73%

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

$107 $107

$308 $308

-65.14%

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

$83.7 $83.7

$69.2 $69.2

21.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 $51.2

$86.1 $86.1

-40.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.20 $30.20

$76.5 $76.5

-60.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.95 $9.95

$35.50 $35.50

-71.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$18.02 $18.02

-17.87%

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

$1,208 $1,208

$2,746 $2,746

-56.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K $21.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-31.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$79.2 $79.2

-32.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.25 $22.25

$54.3 $54.3

-59.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$127 $127

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$159 $159

0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 $1,215

$2,508 $2,508

-51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,938 $1,938

-47.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 $1,988

$5,117 $5,117

-61.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$3,542 $3,542

-56.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$7,374 $7,374

-69.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$5,002 $5,002

-55.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 $3,454

$6,470 $6,470

-46.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.89

-5.08%

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

Last update for Pullman, WA: 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

Pullman, WA

$1K 44.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 90.8% $922

Groceries & Markets

Pullman, WA

$493 21.6%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 11.1% $54

Eating Out

Pullman, WA

$266 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 52.8% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pullman, WA

$242 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 91.1% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Pullman, WA

$152 6.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 24.5% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Pullman, WA

$60 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 88.1% $53

Getting Around

Pullman, WA

$57 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 126% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,215 in Pullman, WA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 87% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Pullman, WA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $493 vs $547 – making Pullman, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:08 2:08 PM

Same time as Pullman, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,901

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,285 in Pullman, WA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Pullman, WA comes out roughly 40% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,428 per month in Pullman, WA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pullman, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,215 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $1,208 per month in Pullman, WA and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pullman, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Pullman, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pullman, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Pullman, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.