Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Anchorage, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Anchorage, AK: $3,290 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Anchorage, AK
Learn more

Anchorage, AK Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Anchorage, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,290

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Anchorage, AK

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $3,290 in Anchorage, AK.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Anchorage, AK $3,290

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $4,848 in Anchorage, AK.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Anchorage, AK $4,848

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $6,406 in Anchorage, AK.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Anchorage, AK $6,406

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 16% more expensive than in Anchorage, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Anchorage, AK 144% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$24.72 $24.72

2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.5 $99.5

2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$15.08 $15.08

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$6.74 $6.74

-2.23%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.24 $3.24

-0.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.52 $2.52

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$8.17 $8.17

0.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.93 $9.93

-19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.19 $1.19

1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.80 $4.80

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.06 $6.06

3.96%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.25 $4.25

15.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$13.72 $13.72

39.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$12.79 $12.79

44.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$21.40 $21.40

7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$8.16 $8.16

-28.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.27 $2.27

-14.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.60 $5.60

-5.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$6.11 $6.11

6.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.98 $2.98

19.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.16 $3.16

-0.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.76 $2.76

3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.34 $2.34

3.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$12.67 $12.67

0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$17.76 $17.76

-15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.71 $1.71

143.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.51 $3.51

70.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.06 $2.06

47.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$60.2 $60.2

82.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.71 $2.71

-5.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.88 $1.88

-12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$41.68 $41.68

-29.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.25 $1.25

13.60%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$33.3K $33.3K

7.24%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.73%

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

$299 $299

$413 $413

-27.68%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$90.3 $90.3

-21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$139 $139

-36.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$91.5 $91.5

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$40.74 $40.74

-13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$14.89 $14.89

14.98%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,238 $1,238

143.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$10.5K $10.5K

200.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$48.09 $48.09

60.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$45.27 $45.27

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$113 $113

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$120 $120

35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,778 $1,778

38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,408 $1,408

38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,834 $2,834

66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$2,467 $2,467

43.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$3,985 $3,985

84.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$2,794 $2,794

80.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$4,734 $4,734

32.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.49

5.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Anchorage, AK: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Anchorage, AK

$1.4K 42.8% 28% $549

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Anchorage, AK

$483 14.7% 10.8% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Anchorage, AK

$643 19.6% 40.4% $185

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Anchorage, AK

$408 12.4% 0.2% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Anchorage, AK

$147 4.5% 22.4% $42

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Anchorage, AK

$81 2.5% 39.5% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Anchorage, AK

$121 3.7% 6.6% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,778 in Anchorage, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 33% 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 $99.0 in Anchorage, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $483 per month, with Anchorage, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Anchorage, AK

🕒 Local time

04:29 4:29 AM

03:29 3:29 AM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

289,600

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Anchorage, AK 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Anchorage, AK

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 Anchorage, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anchorage, AK wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Anchorage, AK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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 $1,778 in Anchorage, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anchorage, AK – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,290 in Anchorage, AK – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Anchorage, AK is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Anchorage, AK delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,290 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Anchorage, AK hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Anchorage, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.