Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
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Saint Paul, MN Living Index
184

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

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Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,445 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $2,445
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $3,672
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $4,900 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $4,900
Seattle, WA $7,592

Saint Paul, MN is about 35% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Paul, MN and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Saint Paul, MN by 80%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 $15.66

$25.30 $25.30

-38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 $67.8

$101 $101

-32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$14.76 $14.76

-31.78%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$6.50 $6.50

-22.62%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$3.21 $3.21

-3.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.14 $3.14

-17.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$7.97 $7.97

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$8.13 $8.13

-9.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.17 $1.17

-16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$5.30 $5.30

-28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$6.40 $6.40

-47.97%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$5.06 $5.06

-41.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$18.71 $18.71

-49.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$18.72 $18.72

-48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$22.88 $22.88

-42.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.06 $6.06

-20.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.95 $1.95

-43.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.51 $5.51

6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$6.52 $6.52

-24.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.49 $3.49

9.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.29 $3.29

5.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.80 $2.80

-26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.68 $12.68

$12.49 $12.49

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 $14.65

$14.87 $14.87

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.19 $4.19

-59.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$5.80 $5.80

-41.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.05 $3.05

-35.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$106 $106

-2.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.58 $2.58

-1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.64 $1.64

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 $31.02

$30.12 $30.12

2.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.41 $1.41

-26.95%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$36.8K $36.8K

-26.38%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.03%

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

$232 $232

$308 $308

-24.49%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$69.2 $69.2

-26.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$86.1 $86.1

-24.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.74 $29.74

$76.5 $76.5

-61.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 $8.50

$35.50 $35.50

-76.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 $13.07

$18.02 $18.02

-27.47%

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

$1,481 $1,481

$2,746 $2,746

-46.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K $28.1K

$30.6K $30.6K

-8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 $41.01

$79.2 $79.2

-48.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 $40.23

$54.3 $54.3

-25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 $82.1

$127 $127

-35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$159 $159

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$2,508 $2,508

-42.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 $1,153

$1,938 $1,938

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$5,117 $5,117

-48.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 $2,132

$3,542 $3,542

-39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,631 $2,631

$7,374 $7,374

-64.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 $1,949

$5,002 $5,002

-61.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 $4,256

$6,470 $6,470

-34.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.89

-8.42%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 68.1% $785

Groceries & Markets

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 52% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 33.1% $115

Eating Out

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 43.3% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 53.3% $66

Getting Around

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 5.9% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 101% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN 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 52% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saint Paul, MN versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $547 – making Saint Paul, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:14 9:14 PM

19:14 7:14 PM

2 h behind Saint Paul, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,068

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Saint Paul, MN Seattle, WA 2,250 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Paul, 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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,667 per month in Saint Paul, MN 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 Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,444 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saint Paul, MN and $101 in Seattle, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Paul, MN – 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 Saint Paul, MN. 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.