Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Alexandria, VA: $3,249 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Alexandria, VA
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Alexandria, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Alexandria, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,249

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $3,249 in Alexandria, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Alexandria, VA $3,249

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $4,722 in Alexandria, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Alexandria, VA $4,722

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $6,195 in Alexandria, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Alexandria, VA $6,195

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 17% more expensive than in Alexandria, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Alexandria, VA 141% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$20.18 $20.18

25.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$103 $103

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.83 $11.83

25.53%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.52 $4.52

45.80%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.73 $2.73

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.25 $2.25

39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$6.58 $6.58

24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.86 $8.86

-9.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.18 $1.18

2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.88 $3.88

31.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.80 $3.80

65.79%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.53 $4.53

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$16.40 $16.40

16.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$15.22 $15.22

21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$20.04 $20.04

14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$6.10 $6.10

-4.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.34 $1.34

45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$7.55 $7.55

-29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$7.84 $7.84

-17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.14 $2.14

66.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.61 $2.61

20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.73 $2.73

4.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.44 $2.44

-0.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.34 $9.34

36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.35 $14.35

4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.75 $1.75

138.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.66 $3.66

63.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.07 $3.07

-0.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$51.5 $51.5

113.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$4.08 $4.08

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$25.13 $25.13

17.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.02 $1.02

39.22%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-2.75%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.23%

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

$299 $299

$240 $240

24.38%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$53.7 $53.7

31.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$77.2 $77.2

14.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$72.4 $72.4

9.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$18.33 $18.33

-6.60%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$2,034 $2,034

48.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$65.5K $65.5K

-51.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$48.10 $48.10

60.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.90 $47.90

15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$122 $122

3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$134 $134

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,315 $2,315

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,737 $1,737

12.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$3,390 $3,390

38.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$2,776 $2,776

27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$6,743 $6,743

8.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$4,049 $4,049

24.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$5,951 $5,951

5.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.64

3.16%

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, VA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Alexandria, VA

$1.7K 53.5% 11.2% $219

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Alexandria, VA

$474 14.6% 12.5% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Alexandria, VA

$371 11.4% 19% $87

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Alexandria, VA

$322 9.9% 21.3% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Alexandria, VA

$158 4.9% 16.4% $31

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Alexandria, VA

$78 2.4% 41.6% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Alexandria, VA

$109 3.4% 4.1% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $2,315 in Alexandria, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 6% 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 $103 in Alexandria, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $542 vs $474, with Alexandria, VA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Alexandria, VA

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

13:55 1:55 PM

3 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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Between locations

Seattle, WA Alexandria, VA 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Alexandria, VA

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 Alexandria, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Alexandria, VA differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($3,800 vs $3,249 including rent). Alexandria, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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 $2,315 in Alexandria, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,249 in Alexandria, VA – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria, VA runs roughly 114% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Alexandria, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Alexandria, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.