Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Akron, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Akron, OH: $2,222 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Akron, OH
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Akron, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Akron, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Akron, OH

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 Akron, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,222 in Akron, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Akron, OH $2,222

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,373 in Akron, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Akron, OH $3,373

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,525 in Akron, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Akron, OH $4,525

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 70% more expensive than in Akron, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Akron, OH 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.07 $17.07

48.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$74.1 $74.1

36.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.96 $9.96

48.19%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$3.79 $3.79

71.50%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.14 $2.14

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.59 $1.59

97.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.06 $5.06

57.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.86 $4.86

67.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.86 $0.86

36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.46 $2.46

115.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.28 $7.28

-12.09%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.99 $4.99

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.59 $15.59

20.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.54 $11.54

62.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.23 $19.23

18.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.07 $7.07

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.58 $1.58

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$7.70 $7.70

-28.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.92 $6.92

-5.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.81 $3.81

-8.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.81 $3.81

-13.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.49 $2.49

12.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.06 $2.06

25.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.13 $10.13

23.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.37 $14.37

3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.75 $1.75

139.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.09 $5.09

13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.23 $1.23

147.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$50.2 $50.2

111.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.01 $5.01

-48.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.79 $1.79

-8.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

32.22%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

0.11%

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

$308 $308

$244 $244

25.90%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$41.85 $41.85

65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$80.7 $80.7

6.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$43.89 $43.89

74.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$17.57 $17.57

102.05%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.30 $12.30

46.50%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,048 $1,048

161.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$12.5K $12.5K

144.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.5 $52.5

50.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$64.0 $64.0

-15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$104 $104

22.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$126 $126

25.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,020 $1,020

145.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$843 $843

129.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,545 $1,545

231.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,518 $1,518

133.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,483 $1,483

397.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,196 $1,196

318.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,257 $3,257

98.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.08

13.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Akron, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Akron, OH

$843 38% 56.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Akron, OH

$456 20.5% 16.6% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Akron, OH

$367 16.5% 20.7% $96

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Akron, OH

$262 11.8% 35.5% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Akron, OH

$156 7% 17.3% $33

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Akron, OH

$69 3.1% 46.5% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Akron, OH

$69 3.1% 39.1% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,020 in Akron, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 99% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $74 in Akron, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $456 per month, with Akron, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Akron, OH

🕒 Local time

21:35 9:35 PM

00:35 12:35 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

197,542

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Akron, OH 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Akron, OH

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 Akron, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,222 in Akron, OH, so Akron, OH is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 99% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,020 in Akron, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,222 in Akron, OH – Akron, OH is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Akron, OH runs roughly 53% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $2,222 in Akron, OH versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Akron, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Akron, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Akron, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.