Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between SeaTac, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in SeaTac, WA: $3,170 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

154

Cost of Living Index in SeaTac, WA
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SeaTac, WA Living Index
184

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

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SeaTac, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,170

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,170 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $3,170
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,514 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $4,514
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,857 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $5,857
Seattle, WA $7,592

SeaTac, WA is about 16% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both SeaTac, WA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – SeaTac, WA by 133%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.05 $25.05

$25.30 $25.30

-0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$101 $101

-21.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$14.76 $14.76

-17.21%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$6.50 $6.50

-12.62%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$3.21 $3.21

-2.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.14 $3.14

-33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$7.97 $7.97

-50.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$8.13 $8.13

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.17 $1.17

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 $4.21

$5.30 $5.30

-20.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$6.40 $6.40

-47.03%

Eggs

$7.20 $7.20

$5.06 $5.06

42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 $14.94

$18.71 $18.71

-20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$18.72 $18.72

-25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$22.88 $22.88

-21.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$6.06 $6.06

-7.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.95 $1.95

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.51 $5.51

-24.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$6.52 $6.52

-28.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.49 $3.49

-36.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.29 $3.29

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.80 $2.80

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.58 $2.58

23.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 $12.19

$12.49 $12.49

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 $18.20

$14.87 $14.87

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.19 $4.19

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$5.80 $5.80

-64.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.05 $3.05

-11.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.9 $88.9

$106 $106

-16.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.58 $2.58

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.64 $1.64

3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.54 $29.54

$30.12 $30.12

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.41 $1.41

2.84%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-22.27%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.83%

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

$232 $232

$308 $308

-24.54%

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

$63.6 $63.6

$69.2 $69.2

-8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.6 $84.6

$86.1 $86.1

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.33 $34.33

$76.5 $76.5

-55.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.73 $19.73

$35.50 $35.50

-44.42%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 $17.36

$18.02 $18.02

-3.66%

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

$2,083 $2,083

$2,746 $2,746

-24.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

3.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.65 $48.65

$79.2 $79.2

-38.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.60 $22.60

$54.3 $54.3

-58.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 $62.7

$127 $127

-50.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.68 $45.68

$159 $159

-71.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$2,508 $2,508

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 $1,722

$1,938 $1,938

-11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,873 $3,873

$5,117 $5,117

-24.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$3,542 $3,542

-24.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,064 $4,064

$7,374 $7,374

-44.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,821 $3,821

$5,002 $5,002

-23.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,075 $6,075

$6,470 $6,470

-6.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.89

-4.93%

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

Last update for SeaTac, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

SeaTac, WA

$1.7K 54.3%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 12.6% $216

Groceries & Markets

SeaTac, WA

$449 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 21.8% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

SeaTac, WA

$380 12%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 21.7% $82

Eating Out

SeaTac, WA

$358 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 13.5% $48

Getting Around

SeaTac, WA

$111 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 16.5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

SeaTac, WA

$81 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 133% $108

Sport & Entertainment

SeaTac, WA

$69 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 62.9% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,208 in SeaTac, WA 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 6% 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 $79 in SeaTac, WA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $547 – making SeaTac, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 SeaTac, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

Same time as SeaTac, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,454

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

SeaTac, WA Seattle, WA 18 km

From you

SeaTac, WA
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,170 in SeaTac, WA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – SeaTac, WA comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,755 per month in SeaTac, WA 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 SeaTac, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,208 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 16% less in SeaTac, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,083 per month in SeaTac, WA and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,170 in SeaTac, WA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward SeaTac, WA – 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 SeaTac, WA. 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.