Cost of Living Comparison Between Reston, VA and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Reston, VA and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,200 in Reston, VA versus $3,565 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,207 in Reston, VA versus $5,605 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,214 in Reston, VA versus $7,645 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Reston, VA costs roughly 10% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Reston, VA 140% above, Seattle, WA 167% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.42 $24.42

$24.79 $24.79

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$119 $119

-13.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$14.15 $14.15

-21.84%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.71 $5.71

-1.23%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.93 $2.93

4.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.52 $2.52

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.71 $7.71

$7.89 $7.89

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$8.05 $8.05

-4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.36 $1.36

-13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$5.07 $5.07

-26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$5.25 $5.25

33.52%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$6.91 $6.91

-21.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.12 $19.12

$24.95 $24.95

-23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.45 $20.45

$15.75 $15.75

29.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.83 $24.83

$20.72 $20.72

19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.40 $7.40

$6.19 $6.19

19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.79 $2.79

-34.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.52 $5.52

-2.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$6.42 $6.42

-12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.16 $3.16

16.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.89 $3.89

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.70 $2.70

-8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.53 $2.53

15.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$11.37 $11.37

-30.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.90 $17.90

$15.67 $15.67

14.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.87 $2.87

-41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.26 $4.26

-10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.71 $2.71

116.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 $128

$98.8 $98.8

29.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.58 $2.58

53.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.63 $1.63

-14.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.52 $24.52

$29.68 $29.68

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.14 $1.14

-28.95%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$32.8K $32.8K

-19.43%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-5.02%

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

$217 $217

$264 $264

-17.86%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$61.6 $61.6

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$75.5 $75.5

-6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.7 $99.7

$78.0 $78.0

27.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.97 $29.97

$40.28 $40.28

-25.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$16.11 $16.11

-5.15%

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

$1,859 $1,859

$2,212 $2,212

-15.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$29.0K $29.0K

22.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.43 $47.43

$69.3 $69.3

-31.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 $47.79

$53.8 $53.8

-11.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$119 $119

-22.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$142 $142

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 $1,968

$2,357 $2,357

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$1,834 $1,834

-13.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,751 $3,751

$4,686 $4,686

-19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,269 $3,269

$3,571 $3,571

-8.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,491 $6,491

$7,539 $7,539

-13.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 $4,281

$5,046 $5,046

-15.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,201 $6,201

$6,473 $6,473

-4.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.42

2.02%

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

Last update for Reston, VA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,968 in Reston, VA and $2,357 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 4% 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: $103 in Reston, VA vs $119 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $545 vs $543, with Seattle, WA cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Reston, VA wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Reston, VA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $1,968 in Reston, VA versus $2,357 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Reston, VA – a meal for two runs $103 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,200 per month in Reston, VA versus $3,565 in Seattle, WA – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Reston, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Reston, VA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,200 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Reston, VA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Reston, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.