Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashland, MA: $3,638 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
176

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, MA
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Ashland, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,638

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ashland, 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 Ashland, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Ashland, MA $3,638

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,720 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Ashland, MA $4,720

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,802 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Ashland, MA $5,802

Seattle, WA costs about 4% more than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Ashland, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Ashland, MA by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.79 $19.79

27.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.3 $76.3

32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.21 $13.21

11.73%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.06 $5.06

28.46%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.87 $2.87

11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.43 $2.43

29.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.98 $5.98

33.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.04 $9.04

-10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 $1.06

10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.46 $4.46

18.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$16.37 $16.37

-60.90%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.96 $5.96

-15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$17.97 $17.97

4.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.73 $10.73

74.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.82 $18.82

21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.52 $5.52

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.29 $4.29

-54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.25 $3.25

69.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.11 $3.11

109.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.18 $2.18

60.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.40 $2.40

37.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.62 $2.62

6.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.85 $2.85

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.66 $13.66

-8.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.34 $17.34

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.89 $1.89

121.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.72 $2.72

113.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.89 $5.89

-56.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.01 $1.01

39.60%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.2K $28.2K

30.30%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.92%

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

$308 $308

$180 $180

71.30%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$37.13 $37.13

86.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$59.1 $59.1

45.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$76.1 $76.1

0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$44.12 $44.12

-19.54%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.37 $12.37

45.68%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,104 $2,104

30.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$38.59 $38.59

105.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$16.15 $16.15

236.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$101 $101

25.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

56.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,102 $2,102

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,316 $2,316

-16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,877 $2,877

77.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,820 $2,820

25.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,069 $5,069

45.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,390 $4,390

13.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$7,849 $7,849

-17.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.51

5.84%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ashland, 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%

Ashland, MA

$2.3K 63.7% 19.5% $377

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Ashland, MA

$496 13.6% 9.3% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Ashland, MA

$276 7.6% 40.4% $187

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Ashland, MA

$328 9% 19.3% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Ashland, MA

$116 3.2% 38.6% $73

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ashland, MA

$5.9 * 0.2% 95.4% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Ashland, MA

$101 2.8% 10.4% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,102 in Ashland, MA. 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 21% higher in Ashland, MA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Ashland, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $496 – making Ashland, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ashland, MA

🕒 Local time

15:13 3:13 PM

18:13 6:13 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

21,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Ashland, MA 3,980 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Ashland, MA

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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 Ashland, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 4% more than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,457 in Ashland, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ashland, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. That makes Ashland, MA about 4% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,104 in Ashland, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ashland, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.