Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Acton, MA: $3,187 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,187

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Acton, MA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Acton, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,187 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Acton, MA $3,187

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,808 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Acton, MA $4,808

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,428 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Acton, MA $6,428

Seattle, WA costs about 19% more than Acton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Acton, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Acton, MA by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.95 $17.95

40.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$94.8 $94.8

6.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.37 $13.37

10.40%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.45 $5.45

19.27%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.93 $2.93

9.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.70 $2.70

16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.14 $5.14

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.22 $8.22

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.93 $0.93

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.39 $2.39

121.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.25 $5.25

21.90%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.72 $4.72

7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.20 $11.20

67.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.29 $14.29

31.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.96 $17.96

27.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.42 $4.42

37.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.82 $2.82

95.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.03 $4.03

61.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.93 $1.93

80.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.71 $2.71

21.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.84 $1.84

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.83 $13.83

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$9.13 $9.13

62.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.10 $2.10

99.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.09 $4.09

41.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.94 $0.94

50.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

32.91%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.75%

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

$308 $308

$322 $322

-4.32%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$61.4 $61.4

12.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$72.1 $72.1

19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$25.46 $25.46

200.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.16 $13.16

36.93%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,818 $1,818

51.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$30.5K $30.5K

0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.6 $56.6

39.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$38.86 $38.86

39.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$80.0 $80.0

58.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$100 $100

58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,730 $2,730

-8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,891 $1,891

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,932 $2,932

74.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,604 $3,604

-1.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$8,971 $8,971

-27.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Acton, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.3% 2.4% $47

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Acton, MA

$351 * 11% 35.7% $196

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Acton, MA

$455 14.3% 1.7% $7.8

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Acton, MA

$314 9.8% 22.8% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Acton, MA

$124 3.9% 34.2% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Acton, MA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Acton, MA

$52 1.6% 54% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,730 in Acton, MA. 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 39% higher in Acton, MA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $95 in Acton, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $351 – making Acton, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

20:06 8:06 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

7,596

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Acton, MA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Acton, MA

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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 19% more than Acton, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,780 in Acton, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,730 in Acton, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,187 in Acton, MA. That makes Acton, MA about 16% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,818 in Acton, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,187 in Acton, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,187 in Acton, MA to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.