Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Albany, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Albany, GA: $2,411 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Albany, GA
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Albany, GA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Albany, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,411

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Albany, GA

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 Albany, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,411 in Albany, GA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Albany, GA $2,411

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,357 in Albany, GA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Albany, GA $3,357

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,302 in Albany, GA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Albany, GA $4,302

Seattle, WA costs about 57% more than Albany, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Albany, GA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Albany, GA by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$13.35 $13.35

83.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$49.44 $49.44

98.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.37 $10.37

42.62%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.44 $5.44

19.85%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.97 $2.97

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.17 $2.17

46.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.54 $7.54

4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.62 $5.62

42.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.83 $0.83

45.78%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.60 $1.60

221.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.99 $1.99

204.02%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.28 $3.28

48.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$7.73 $7.73

148.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.41 $10.41

81.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$10.39 $10.39

124.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.89 $5.89

1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.36 $1.36

41.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.19 $6.19

-15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.84 $4.84

35.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.25 $4.25

-14.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.07 $4.07

-18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.66 $2.66

4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.03 $2.03

23.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.95 $8.95

36.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$18.15 $18.15

-18.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.75 $1.75

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$5.94 $5.94

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.72 $1.72

71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$45.07 $45.07

135.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.85 $0.85

75.29%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.91%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.08%

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

$302 $302

$185 $185

62.73%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$41.28 $41.28

69.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$82.3 $82.3

3.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$15.04 $15.04

417.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$10.91 $10.91

63.52%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$733 $733

305.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$9,445 $9,445

231.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$54.1 $54.1

41.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$32.58 $32.58

65.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$66.2 $66.2

93.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$54.2 $54.2

202.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,297 $1,297

88.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,296 $1,296

50.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,539 $2,539

86.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,980 $1,980

75.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,269 $1,269

480.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,243 $1,243

312.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,025 $3,025

115.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Albany, GA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Albany, GA

$1.3K 53.8% 33.4% $650

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Albany, GA

$351 14.6% 35.6% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Albany, GA

$309 12.8% 32.4% $148

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Albany, GA

$273 11.3% 31.8% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Albany, GA

$93 3.9% 51% $97

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Albany, GA

$52 * 2.2% 59.8% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Albany, GA

$37 1.5% 67.5% $77

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,297 in Albany, GA. 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 115% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $49.00 in Albany, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $351 – making Albany, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Albany, GA

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

05:33 5:33 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

99,224

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Albany, GA 3,670 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Albany, GA

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 Albany, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,617 in Albany, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $733 in Albany, GA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Albany, GA, where all-in costs run around $2,411, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Albany, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Albany, GA – 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 Albany, GA. 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.