Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, MN: $2,512 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index
184

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

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Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,512 in Rochester, MN versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Rochester, MN $2,512
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Rochester, MN versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Rochester, MN $3,838
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,164 in Rochester, MN versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Rochester, MN $5,164
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Rochester, MN costs roughly 34% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rochester, MN 85% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$24.52 $24.52

-18.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$98.2 $98.2

-25.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$14.79 $14.79

-25.22%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$6.52 $6.52

-10.58%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.23 $3.23

-12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.17 $3.17

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$7.85 $7.85

-35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 $5.67

$8.03 $8.03

-29.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.21 $1.21

-28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$5.14 $5.14

-43.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$6.05 $6.05

-46.12%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.88 $4.88

-25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 $9.31

$19.18 $19.18

-51.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$18.91 $18.91

-35.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$23.31 $23.31

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.99 $5.99

-13.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.93 $1.93

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.25 $5.25

-18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$6.57 $6.57

-41.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.62 $3.62

-40.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.31 $3.31

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.78 $2.78

-2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.51 $2.51

15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.18 $12.18

-19.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$14.83 $14.83

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.22 $4.22

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$5.77 $5.77

-49.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.95 $2.95

-32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 $42.25

$106 $106

-60.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.65 $2.65

-23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.72 $1.72

-26.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$29.72 $29.72

-33.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.49 $1.49

-42.28%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-24.17%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.86%

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

$169 $169

$302 $302

-43.86%

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

$47.11 $47.11

$70.1 $70.1

-32.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.05 $44.05

$85.3 $85.3

-48.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 $53.2

$77.8 $77.8

-31.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 $20.18

$34.58 $34.58

-41.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$17.84 $17.84

-43.44%

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

$1,352 $1,352

$2,973 $2,973

-54.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$31.3K $31.3K

-62.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 $62.4

$76.6 $76.6

-18.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 $62.7

$54.1 $54.1

16.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$128 $128

-42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 $86.4

$164 $164

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 $1,645

$2,445 $2,445

-32.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,947 $1,947

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$4,744 $4,744

-57.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$3,469 $3,469

-31.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$7,367 $7,367

-70.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,961 $1,961

$5,127 $5,127

-61.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,617 $4,617

$6,506 $6,506

-29.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 51.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 51.6% $663

Groceries & Markets

Rochester, MN

$386 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 41.3% $159

Eating Out

Rochester, MN

$321 12.8%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 24.7% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rochester, MN

$261 10.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 75.4% $197

Clothing & Footwear

Rochester, MN

$128 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 48.2% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Rochester, MN

$73 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 54.8% $40

Getting Around

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 121% $71

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,645 in Rochester, MN and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 41% 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: $74.0 in Rochester, MN vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $546 per month, with Rochester, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

23:01 11:01 PM

2 h behind Rochester, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,328

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Rochester, MN Seattle, WA 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Rochester, MN
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

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

Rochester, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rochester, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $1,645 in Rochester, MN versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rochester, MN – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Rochester, MN 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 Rochester, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,512 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rochester, MN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rochester, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.