Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Arlington, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Arlington, TX: $2,439 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Arlington, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,439

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Arlington, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Arlington, TX $2,439

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $3,647 in Arlington, TX.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Arlington, TX $3,647

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $4,855 in Arlington, TX.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Arlington, TX $4,855

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Arlington, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Arlington, TX 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$20.39 $20.39

24.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$55.3 $55.3

83.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.11 $10.11

46.88%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.86 $4.86

35.60%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.56 $2.56

25.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.29 $2.29

37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.38 $5.38

52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.68 $6.68

20.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.78 $0.78

55.13%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.64 $3.64

40.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.26 $5.26

19.77%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.67 $2.67

83.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$10.60 $10.60

80.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$13.10 $13.10

41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$18.02 $18.02

27.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.44 $4.44

30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.66 $2.66

-26.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.12 $5.12

3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.02 $4.02

61.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.53 $2.53

41.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.98 $2.98

5.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.90 $1.90

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.06 $2.06

17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.52 $9.52

33.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$12.03 $12.03

24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.01 $2.01

107.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.36 $3.36

78.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$6.09 $6.09

-50.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$40.51 $40.51

171.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.93 $2.93

-12.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.70 $1.70

-3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$23.81 $23.81

24.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.94 $0.94

51.06%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

-0.13%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.62%

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

$299 $299

$211 $211

41.74%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$66.4 $66.4

6.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$64.1 $64.1

37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$40.87 $40.87

94.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$14.74 $14.74

16.15%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,332 $1,332

126.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$28.4K $28.4K

11.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$61.6 $61.6

25.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$51.0 $51.0

8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$84.9 $84.9

48.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$102 $102

60.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,536 $1,536

60.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,112 $1,112

75.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,533 $2,533

86.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$2,031 $2,031

74.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$2,173 $2,173

238.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$2,217 $2,217

127.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,699 $3,699

69.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.51

5.22%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arlington, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Arlington, TX

$1.1K 45.6% 43.1% $844

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Arlington, TX

$393 16.1% 27.5% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Arlington, TX

$341 14% 25.5% $117

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Arlington, TX

$311 12.8% 23.8% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Arlington, TX

$135 5.5% 28.9% $55

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Arlington, TX

$76 3.1% 42.7% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Arlington, TX

$70 2.9% 38.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,536 in Arlington, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 70% 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 $55.0 in Arlington, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $393 per month, with Arlington, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Arlington, TX

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

12:55 12:55 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

365,438

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Arlington, TX 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Arlington, TX

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 Arlington, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arlington, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 70% 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 $1,536 in Arlington, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arlington, TX runs roughly 172% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Arlington, TX 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 Arlington, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,439 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arlington, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Arlington, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.