Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, NY: $2,512 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
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Amherst, NY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,512 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Amherst, NY $2,512

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,853 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Amherst, NY $3,853

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,195 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Amherst, NY $5,195

Seattle, WA costs about 50% more than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Amherst, NY sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Amherst, NY by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$18.08 $18.08

31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$78.0 $78.0

26.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.17 $12.17

22.76%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.94 $5.94

14.31%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.75 $2.75

17.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.06 $2.06

52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.93 $6.93

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.58 $7.58

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.88 $0.88

32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.32 $3.32

59.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.32 $4.32

33.33%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.96 $3.96

23.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$11.06 $11.06

83.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$9.98 $9.98

79.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.86 $15.86

47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.91 $4.91

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.43 $1.43

32.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.39 $4.39

21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.26 $5.26

24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.72 $2.72

24.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.95 $2.95

-2.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.40 $2.40

20.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$15.03 $15.03

-18.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.05 $15.05

1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.00 $2.00

119.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.12 $4.12

42.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.95 $1.95

51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$54.1 $54.1

101.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.83 $2.83

-10.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.05 $2.05

-16.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$20.01 $20.01

48.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.18 $1.18

27.97%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

18.19%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.31%

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

$289 $289

$234 $234

23.45%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$51.7 $51.7

33.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$66.3 $66.3

27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$40.31 $40.31

72.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$19.77 $19.77

77.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$12.88 $12.88

39.52%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,263 $1,263

123.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$18.9K $18.9K

132.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$53.7 $53.7

69.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$44.22 $44.22

24.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$96.1 $96.1

32.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$115 $115

41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,547 $1,547

66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,174 $1,174

65.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,716 $2,716

87.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,269 $2,269

56.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,775 $2,775

165.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,351 $2,351

109.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,179 $4,179

54.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.52

4.29%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Amherst, NY: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Amherst, NY

$1.2K 46.7% 39.6% $769

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Amherst, NY

$384 15.3% 29.3% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Amherst, NY

$352 14% 20.5% $91

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Amherst, NY

$322 12.8% 19.4% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Amherst, NY

$139 5.5% 29.1% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Amherst, NY

$75 3% 43.3% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Amherst, NY

$66 2.6% 37.3% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,547 in Amherst, NY. 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 54% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $78 in Amherst, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $384 – making Amherst, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🕒 Local time

10:43 10:43 AM

13:43 1:43 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Amherst, NY 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Amherst, NY

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 Amherst, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 50% more than Amherst, NY, 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 $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,767 in Amherst, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amherst, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,547 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,263 in Amherst, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,512 in Amherst, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Amherst, NY – 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 Amherst, NY. 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.