Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,087 in Rockville, MD versus $3,886 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,711 in Rockville, MD versus $5,699 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,336 in Rockville, MD versus $7,513 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Rockville, MD costs roughly 21% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rockville, MD 124% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.16 $24.16

$25.37 $25.37

-4.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$101 $101

-24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$14.80 $14.80

-31.22%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$6.63 $6.63

-17.50%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.08 $3.08

-14.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.96 $2.96

-39.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 $6.59

$7.94 $7.94

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 $7.60

$7.88 $7.88

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.22 $1.22

-6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.14 $5.14

-42.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$6.16 $6.16

-57.14%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$5.08 $5.08

-20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 $9.50

$21.31 $21.31

-55.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$18.42 $18.42

-24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$23.04 $23.04

-18.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$6.04 $6.04

-7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.88 $1.88

-30.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.20 $5.20

7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$6.37 $6.37

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.78 $3.78

-25.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.30 $3.30

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.87 $2.87

-24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.66 $2.66

-32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 $14.12

$13.91 $13.91

1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 $14.28

$15.05 $15.05

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.17 $4.17

-41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$5.64 $5.64

-34.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.97 $2.97

11.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 $142

$107 $107

32.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.57 $2.57

98.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.65 $1.65

-32.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.10 $23.10

$29.49 $29.49

-21.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.46 $1.46

-29.45%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-4.51%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

-1.70%

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

$297 $297

$306 $306

-3.14%

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

$49.90 $49.90

$70.2 $70.2

-28.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$87.4 $87.4

-31.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 $42.52

$79.9 $79.9

-46.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.59 $12.59

$34.74 $34.74

-63.76%

Cinema Ticket

$16.30 $16.30

$17.85 $17.85

-8.68%

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

$1,887 $1,887

$3,018 $3,018

-37.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K $28.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.38 $46.38

$76.6 $76.6

-39.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$53.8 $53.8

-24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$126 $126

-29.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$162 $162

-20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 $2,090

$2,456 $2,456

-14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$1,981 $1,981

-21.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,807 $3,807

$4,881 $4,881

-22.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 $2,893

$3,625 $3,625

-20.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$7,376 $7,376

-41.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 $2,456

$5,007 $5,007

-50.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,208 $6,208

$6,165 $6,165

0.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

6.45

-6.51%

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

Last update for Rockville, MD: September 7, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,090 in Rockville, MD and $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockville, MD pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Rockville, MD vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $551 per month, with Rockville, MD cheaper across the board.

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

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

Rockville, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rockville, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Rockville, MD, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,090 in Rockville, MD versus $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rockville, MD – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $101 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. Rockville, MD 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 Rockville, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,087 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rockville, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rockville, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.