Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Amherst, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 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 Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Amherst, MA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,767 in Amherst, MA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Amherst, MA $2,767

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,275 in Amherst, MA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Amherst, MA $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,783 in Amherst, MA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Amherst, MA $5,783

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 37% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Amherst, MA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.05 $20.05

26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$70.8 $70.8

42.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$8.90 $8.90

65.84%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.79 $4.79

35.70%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.69 $2.69

19.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.06 $2.06

52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.97 $5.97

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$10.41 $10.41

-21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 $1.06

10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.21 $3.21

65.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.00 $7.00

-8.57%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.69 $4.69

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.50 $16.50

13.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.78 $15.78

18.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.29 $18.29

25.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.70 $4.70

28.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.45 $1.45

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.25 $3.25

69.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.60 $4.60

41.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.27 $3.27

6.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.71 $3.71

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.30 $2.30

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.02 $2.02

27.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.69 $10.69

16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.14 $12.14

22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.98 $1.98

111.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.92 $3.92

47.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.29 $1.29

136.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$28.34 $28.34

273.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.56 $3.56

-27.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.42 $1.42

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.78 $29.78

1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 $0.99

42.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

33.67%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.85%

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

$308 $308

$213 $213

44.46%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$56.5 $56.5

22.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$87.9 $87.9

-2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$121 $121

-36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$6.90 $6.90

414.49%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$10.65 $10.65

69.20%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,466 $1,466

87.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$17.2K $17.2K

78.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$45.22 $45.22

75.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.24 $40.24

34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.6 $91.6

38.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$110 $110

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,821 $1,821

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,346 $1,346

43.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,829 $3,829

33.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,708 $2,708

30.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,969 $3,969

85.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,035 $4,035

23.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,660 $4,660

38.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.1

12.95%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7% 30.5% $592

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7% 20.7% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9% 22.8% $105

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4% 22.6% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7% 31.6% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6% 65.8% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2% 26.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $71 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $434 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🕒 Local time

18:23 6:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Amherst, MA 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Amherst, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, MA is about 27% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% 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 $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,466 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA 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 Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.