Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,473 in Salem, MA versus $3,583 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,781 in Salem, MA versus $5,632 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,090 in Salem, MA versus $7,681 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Salem, MA costs roughly 3% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 159% above, Seattle, WA 168% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$24.97 $24.97

0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$119 $119

-17.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$13.90 $13.90

-20.58%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$5.56 $5.56

-8.27%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$3.06 $3.06

-20.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.47 $2.47

-13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.96 $7.96

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$8.01 $8.01

-12.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.34 $1.34

-8.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.05 $5.05

-13.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$5.36 $5.36

62.69%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$6.59 $6.59

-32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$25.31 $25.31

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$16.19 $16.19

-11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$20.30 $20.30

-57.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$5.97 $5.97

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.74 $2.74

-51.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$5.36 $5.36

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$6.61 $6.61

-27.53%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.25 $3.25

32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.79 $3.79

-37.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.73 $2.73

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.53 $2.53

35.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$11.31 $11.31

-15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$16.28 $16.28

-20.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.85 $2.85

-38.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$4.16 $4.16

65.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.69 $2.69

-8.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 $54.6

$97.1 $97.1

-43.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.71 $2.71

28.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.73 $1.73

-8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 $29.22

$29.46 $29.46

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$33.6K $33.6K

-11.20%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.14%

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

$169 $169

$266 $266

-36.52%

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

$91.3 $91.3

$60.4 $60.4

51.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$76.2 $76.2

8.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.44 $42.44

$79.2 $79.2

-46.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$16.22 $16.22

-8.20%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$2,280 $2,280

-43.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

-19.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$69.6 $69.6

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$52.6 $52.6

11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$120 $120

-18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$143 $143

-30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 $2,360

$2,378 $2,378

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$1,866 $1,866

4.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,832 $3,832

$4,724 $4,724

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$3,510 $3,510

-18.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$7,711 $7,711

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$5,381 $5,381

-55.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,570 $9,570

$6,493 $6,493

47.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.42

1.40%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,360 in Salem, MA and $2,378 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98 in Salem, MA vs $119 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $544 per month, with Salem, MA 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

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

Salem, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Salem, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Salem, MA pays 47% more on average, 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: $2,360 in Salem, MA versus $2,378 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Salem, MA versus $2,280 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,473 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Salem, MA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Salem, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.