Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashland, OR: $2,602 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, OR
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Ashland, OR Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Ashland, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,602

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ashland, OR

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,602 in Ashland, OR.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Ashland, OR $2,602

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,780 in Ashland, OR.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Ashland, OR $3,780

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,958 in Ashland, OR.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Ashland, OR $4,958

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 45% more expensive than in Ashland, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Ashland, OR 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.97 $14.97

69.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$69.3 $69.3

45.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.87 $9.87

49.54%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.11 $5.11

27.20%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$1.94 $1.94

65.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.83 $1.83

71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.92 $5.92

34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.02 $8.02

1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.91 $0.91

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.16 $3.16

67.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.81 $3.81

67.98%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$1.77 $1.77

185.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.90 $11.90

57.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.12 $11.12

68.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.19 $14.19

61.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.30 $6.30

-3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.70 $1.70

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.36 $3.36

63.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.28 $5.28

23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.83 $1.83

90.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.69 $1.69

94.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.04 $2.04

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.33 $3.33

-22.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.88 $9.88

26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$8.86 $8.86

67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.41 $2.41

140.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 $2.02

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$56.1 $56.1

88.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.11 $4.11

-37.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.55 $2.55

-35.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$44.56 $44.56

-32.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.30 $1.30

8.46%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

30.02%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.0K $24.0K

10.86%

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

$308 $308

$194 $194

58.19%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$77.0 $77.0

-10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

-0.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$41.79 $41.79

82.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.16 $14.16

27.26%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,134 $1,134

142.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$19.8K $19.8K

54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.0 $61.0

29.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$71.4 $71.4

-23.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.5 $89.5

41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$120 $120

32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,578 $1,578

58.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,302 $1,302

48.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,470 $2,470

107.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,149 $2,149

64.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,688 $2,688

174.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,374 $2,374

110.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.78

1.62%

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, OR: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Ashland, OR

$1.3K 50% 32.9% $637

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Ashland, OR

$366 14.1% 33% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Ashland, OR

$358 13.7% 22.8% $105

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Ashland, OR

$271 10.4% 33.2% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Ashland, OR

$154 5.9% 18.4% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ashland, OR

$81 3.1% 37.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Ashland, OR

$70 2.7% 37.7% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,578 in Ashland, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $69 in Ashland, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $366 per month, with Ashland, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ashland, OR

🕒 Local time

19:14 7:14 PM

Same time as 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, OR 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Ashland, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashland, OR is about 31% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $3,903 in Ashland, OR to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,578 in Ashland, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashland, OR – a meal for two runs $69 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,602 in Ashland, OR – Ashland, OR is about 31% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Ashland, OR 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.

Expats usually find Ashland, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.