Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Alexandria, LA

For one person, living is cheaper in Alexandria, LA: $2,082 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in Alexandria, LA
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Alexandria, LA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Alexandria, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,082

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Alexandria, LA

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 Alexandria, LA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $2,082 in Alexandria, LA.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Alexandria, LA $2,082

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $2,933 in Alexandria, LA.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Alexandria, LA $2,933

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $3,783 in Alexandria, LA.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Alexandria, LA $3,783

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 83% more expensive than in Alexandria, LA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Alexandria, LA 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$16.12 $16.12

57.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$51.2 $51.2

98.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$9.72 $9.72

52.78%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.30 $5.30

24.34%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.49 $2.49

29.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.14 $2.14

46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.93 $5.93

37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.19 $8.19

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.34 $1.34

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.68 $1.68

204.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.08 $6.08

3.62%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$5.51 $5.51

-11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$8.97 $8.97

112.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$6.44 $6.44

187.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$15.67 $15.67

46.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.13 $5.13

13.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.34 $1.34

45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.35 $5.35

-1.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.44 $5.44

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.36 $4.36

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.24 $2.24

40.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.28 $2.28

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.63 $2.63

-7.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$8.89 $8.89

43.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$17.03 $17.03

-11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.55 $2.55

63.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.89 $3.89

53.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.57 $3.57

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.52 $1.52

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$34.46 $34.46

-14.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.74 $0.74

91.89%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.9K $35.9K

-0.49%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.16%

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

$299 $299

$186 $186

60.91%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$70.7 $70.7

0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$73.0 $73.0

20.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$12.58 $12.58

36.09%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,577 $1,577

91.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$10.1K $10.1K

213.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$57.9 $57.9

33.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$42.48 $42.48

29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$87.3 $87.3

43.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$122 $122

33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$936 $936

163.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$913 $913

114.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$1,454 $1,454

223.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,318 $1,318

169.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,266 $1,266

480.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,271 $1,271

297.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$2,989 $2,989

110.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.66

2.85%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, LA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Alexandria, LA

$913 43.8% 53.3% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Alexandria, LA

$378 18.1% 30.3% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Alexandria, LA

$330 15.8% 28.1% $129

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Alexandria, LA

$286 13.8% 29.9% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Alexandria, LA

$139 6.7% 26.4% $50

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Alexandria, LA

$11 * 0.5% 91.6% $122

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Alexandria, LA

$25 * 1.2% 77.9% $89

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $936 in Alexandria, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $51.0 in Alexandria, LA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $378 per month, with Alexandria, LA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Alexandria, LA

🕒 Local time

00:39 12:39 AM

02:39 2:39 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

160,035

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Alexandria, LA 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Alexandria, LA

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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

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

Alexandria, LA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% 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: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $936 in Alexandria, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,082 in Alexandria, LA – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,082 in Alexandria, LA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Alexandria, LA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria, LA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alexandria, LA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Alexandria, LA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.