Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ann Arbor, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Ann Arbor, MI: $2,750 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 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
133

Cost of Living Index in Ann Arbor, MI
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Ann Arbor, MI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Ann Arbor, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ann Arbor, MI

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 Ann Arbor, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Ann Arbor, MI $2,750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,198 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Ann Arbor, MI $4,198

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,646 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Ann Arbor, MI $5,646

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ann Arbor, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Ann Arbor, MI 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$18.66 $18.66

31.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$59.3 $59.3

65.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.76 $11.76

25.77%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.18 $5.18

25.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.90 $2.90

11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.09 $2.09

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.47 $6.47

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.14 $8.14

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.83 $3.83

34.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.88 $4.88

23.98%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.82 $3.82

27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$19.36 $19.36

-0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.03 $13.03

45.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.93 $14.93

56.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.91 $6.91

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.86 $1.86

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.81 $3.81

37.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.50 $4.50

46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.39 $2.39

51.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.85 $2.85

16.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.52 $2.52

10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.02 $2.02

24.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.32 $10.32

18.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.09 $15.09

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.18 $2.18

93.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.79 $3.79

52.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.78 $1.78

65.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$45.62 $45.62

132.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.93 $2.93

-9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.51 $1.51

13.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$26.09 $26.09

13.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.06 $1.06

40.57%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

21.26%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

0.13%

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

$302 $302

$201 $201

50.19%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$58.9 $58.9

19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$73.0 $73.0

16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$63.2 $63.2

23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$19.46 $19.46

77.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.22 $13.22

34.95%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,999 $1,999

48.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$19.6K $19.6K

59.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$55.8 $55.8

37.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.52 $44.52

21.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$113 $113

13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$106 $106

54.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,077 $2,077

17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,375 $1,375

41.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$3,811 $3,811

24.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,692 $2,692

28.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$5,516 $5,516

33.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,597 $2,597

97.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,148 $5,148

26.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.6

4.39%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Ann Arbor, MI

$1.4K 50% 29.4% $572

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Ann Arbor, MI

$430 15.7% 21.1% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Ann Arbor, MI

$333 12.1% 27.2% $124

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Ann Arbor, MI

$315 11.5% 21.1% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Ann Arbor, MI

$144 5.2% 24.5% $47

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ann Arbor, MI

$63 2.3% 51.1% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Ann Arbor, MI

$90 3.3% 21% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 26% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $430 per month, with Ann Arbor, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, MI

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

02:01 2:01 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

123,851

💱 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 Ann Arbor, MI 3,060 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Ann Arbor, MI

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 Ann Arbor, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Ann Arbor, MI differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($3,782 vs $2,750 including rent). Ann Arbor, MI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ann Arbor, MI – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ann Arbor, MI 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Ann Arbor, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ann Arbor, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.