Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Scranton, PA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,109 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Scranton, PA
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Scranton, PA Living Index
185

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

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Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,109

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,109 per month in Scranton, PA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Scranton, PA $2,109
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,000 per month in Scranton, PA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Scranton, PA $3,000
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $3,891 per month in Scranton, PA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Scranton, PA $3,891
Seattle, WA $7,603

Scranton, PA is about 45% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Scranton, PA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Scranton, PA by 56%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.08 $12.08

$25.32 $25.32

-52.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 $77.1

$101 $101

-24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 $5.96

$14.85 $14.85

-59.87%

Cappuccino

$4.48 $4.48

$6.59 $6.59

-32.02%

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

$1.53 $1.53

$3.22 $3.22

-52.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.14 $3.14

-68.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$8.18 $8.18

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 $7.66

$8.03 $8.03

-4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.21 $1.21

-39.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 $1.46

$5.12 $5.12

-71.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$6.30 $6.30

-64.76%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$4.90 $4.90

-31.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$19.10 $19.10

-41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$18.50 $18.50

-52.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$23.03 $23.03

-51.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$5.81 $5.81

-37.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.95 $1.95

-32.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$5.29 $5.29

-37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$6.48 $6.48

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.57 $3.57

-18.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.15 $3.15

5.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.85 $2.85

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.42 $2.42

-58.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 $6.59

$12.75 $12.75

-48.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$14.99 $14.99

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.17 $4.17

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.99 $5.99

-20.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.04 $3.04

-43.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 $61.1

$110 $110

-44.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.55 $2.55

23.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.64 $1.64

21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.58 $29.58

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.42 $1.42

-21.83%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$35.7K $35.7K

-1.14%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.54%

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

$232 $232

$299 $299

-22.46%

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

$40.27 $40.27

$70.8 $70.8

-43.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.27 $49.27

$88.3 $88.3

-44.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$79.5 $79.5

-62.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 $16.03

$35.37 $35.37

-54.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 $12.53

$17.12 $17.12

-26.81%

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

$770 $770

$3,013 $3,013

-74.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K $17.6K

$31.6K $31.6K

-44.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.23 $45.23

$77.2 $77.2

-41.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 $30.25

$55.1 $55.1

-45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 $72.9

$126 $126

-41.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 $82.9

$163 $163

-49.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$2,464 $2,464

-48.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$1,956 $1,956

-47.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 $1,554

$4,711 $4,711

-67.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 $1,481

$3,550 $3,550

-58.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,594 $1,594

$7,346 $7,346

-78.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,538 $1,538

$5,048 $5,048

-69.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 $3,361

$6,286 $6,286

-46.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.85

-2.63%

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

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Scranton, PA

$1K 48.3%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 91.9% $937

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Scranton, PA

$321 15.2%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 42.6% $137

Groceries & Markets

Scranton, PA

$300 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 80.6% $242

Eating Out

Scranton, PA

$228 10.8%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 78.9% $180

Clothing & Footwear

Scranton, PA

$104 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 81.9% $85

Getting Around

Scranton, PA

$81 3.9%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 63.9% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Scranton, PA

$55 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 108% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Scranton, PA versus $2,464 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 87% 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 $77.0 in Scranton, PA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $542 – making Scranton, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:07 10:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

3 h behind Scranton, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,861

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Scranton, PA Seattle, WA 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Scranton, PA
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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

Scranton, PA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 80%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,163 per month in Scranton, PA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scranton, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Scranton, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $770 per month in Scranton, PA and $3,013 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Scranton, PA, where all-in costs run around $2,109, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In Scranton, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Scranton, PA – 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 Scranton, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.