Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, MA: $3,554 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

171

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index
184

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

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Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,554

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,554 in Salem, MA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Salem, MA $3,554
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,918 in Salem, MA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Salem, MA $4,918
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,282 in Salem, MA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Salem, MA $6,282
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Salem, MA costs roughly 6% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 161% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$25.30 $25.30

-0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

-0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$14.76 $14.76

-26.22%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$6.50 $6.50

-23.85%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$3.21 $3.21

-22.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.14 $3.14

-32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.97 $7.97

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$8.13 $8.13

-13.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$5.30 $5.30

-31.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$6.40 $6.40

-30.78%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$5.06 $5.06

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$18.71 $18.71

-33.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$18.72 $18.72

-39.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$22.88 $22.88

-25.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.06 $6.06

-22.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 $1.95

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$5.51 $5.51

-20.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$6.52 $6.52

-28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.49 $3.49

-20.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.29 $3.29

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.80 $2.80

-10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.58 $2.58

-14.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 $9.56

$12.49 $12.49

-23.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.87 $14.87

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$4.19 $4.19

-47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$5.80 $5.80

-42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.05 $3.05

-26.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$106 $106

-43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.58 $2.58

34.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.64 $1.64

8.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 $26.75

$30.12 $30.12

-11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.41 $1.41

-37.59%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-33.43%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

-13.95%

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

$193 $193

$308 $308

-37.29%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$69.2 $69.2

-15.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$86.1 $86.1

-23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$76.5 $76.5

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$18.02 $18.02

-17.98%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$2,746 $2,746

-48.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K $21.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

-28.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 $85.3

$79.2 $79.2

7.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$54.3 $54.3

5.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$127 $127

-22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 $98.3

$159 $159

-38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,508 $2,508

-6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,938 $1,938

11.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$5,117 $5,117

-22.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$3,542 $3,542

-12.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,802 $2,802

$7,374 $7,374

-62.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 $2,303

$5,002 $5,002

-53.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,667 $9,667

$6,470 $6,470

49.41%

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 Salem, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Salem, MA

$2.2K 60.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 10.4% $226

Groceries & Markets

Salem, MA

$402 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 36% $145

Eating Out

Salem, MA

$366 10.3%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 11.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, MA

$317 8.9%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 46% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, MA

$152 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 23.8% $36

Getting Around

Salem, MA

$81 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 59.3% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, MA

$72 2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 56.3% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,353 in Salem, MA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Salem, MA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $547 per month, with Salem, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:38 2:38 AM

23:38 11:38 PM

3 h behind Salem, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Salem, MA Seattle, WA 4,000 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, MA
Seattle, WA

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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 6% 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.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Salem, MA, 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: $2,353 in Salem, MA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,423 in Salem, MA versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Salem, MA runs roughly 44% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.