Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Allentown, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Allentown, PA: $2,765 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 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
132

Cost of Living Index in Allentown, PA
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Allentown, PA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,765

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Allentown, PA

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,765 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Allentown, PA $2,765

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,896 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Allentown, PA $3,896

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,027 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Allentown, PA $5,027

Seattle, WA costs about 37% more than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Allentown, PA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Allentown, PA by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.81 $19.81

27.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$91.8 $91.8

9.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.23 $12.23

20.69%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.60 $5.60

16.07%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.62 $2.62

22.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.57 $1.57

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.92 $4.92

61.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.84 $5.84

39.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.19 $1.19

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.10 $2.10

152.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.43 $2.43

163.37%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.65 $3.65

38.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.62 $15.62

19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.37 $8.37

123.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.95 $18.95

20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.78 $6.78

-10.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.86 $2.86

92.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.65 $6.65

-1.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.68 $2.68

30.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.30 $3.30

-0.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.23 $2.23

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.53 $2.53

1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.71 $11.71

6.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.72 $14.72

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.33 $2.33

79.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.71 $2.71

114.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.55 $2.55

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$61.0 $61.0

73.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.94 $2.94

-12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.20 $2.20

-25.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$41.24 $41.24

-26.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.10 $1.10

28.18%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

35.19%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.41%

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

$308 $308

$188 $188

63.58%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.2 $54.2

27.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.6 $70.6

21.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$30.16 $30.16

153.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$25.42 $25.42

39.65%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.03 $13.03

38.30%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,204 $1,204

128.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$11.8K $11.8K

159.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$37.88 $37.88

108.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$51.3 $51.3

5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.7 $89.7

41.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$118 $118

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,668 $1,668

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,470 $1,470

31.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,481 $2,481

106.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,048 $2,048

72.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,166 $2,166

240.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,905 $1,905

162.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,074 $3,074

110.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Allentown, PA

$1.5K 53.2% 24.2% $469

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Allentown, PA

$392 14.2% 28.4% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Allentown, PA

$313 11.3% 32.4% $150

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Allentown, PA

$315 11.4% 22.4% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Allentown, PA

$134 4.8% 29.2% $55

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Allentown, PA

$85 3.1% 34% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Allentown, PA

$56 2% 50% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,668 in Allentown, PA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Seattle, WA are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $92 in Allentown, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $392 – making Allentown, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Allentown, PA

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

19:14 7:14 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

120,443

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Allentown, PA 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Allentown, PA

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 Allentown, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 37% more than Allentown, PA, 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 $4,147 in Allentown, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Allentown, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,668 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Allentown, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,204 in Allentown, PA. 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 $2,765 in Allentown, PA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Allentown, PA – 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 Allentown, PA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.