Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Aurora, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Aurora, IL: $2,774 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Aurora, IL
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Aurora, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Aurora, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,774

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Aurora, IL

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,774 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Aurora, IL $2,774

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,792 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Aurora, IL $3,792

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,810 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Aurora, IL $4,810

Seattle, WA costs about 36% more than Aurora, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Aurora, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Aurora, IL by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.22 $14.22

77.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.5 $59.5

69.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.78 $11.78

25.30%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.40 $5.40

20.37%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.89 $2.89

11.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.27 $2.27

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.85 $4.85

64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.87 $7.87

3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.91 $0.91

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.53 $3.53

50.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.31 $4.31

48.49%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.64 $3.64

39.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$8.92 $8.92

109.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.49 $11.49

62.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.23 $16.23

40.97%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.62 $4.62

31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.73 $1.73

12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.73 $3.73

47.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.18 $3.18

105.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.89 $1.89

84.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.72 $2.72

20.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.78 $1.78

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.63 $1.63

58.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.56 $10.56

18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.70 $13.70

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.31 $2.31

81.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.81 $2.81

106.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.27 $2.27

34.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$96.8 $96.8

9.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.04 $4.04

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$43.86 $43.86

-31.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.09 $1.09

29.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

35.67%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.33%

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

$308 $308

$174 $174

76.80%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$51.5 $51.5

34.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$55.2 $55.2

55.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$17.52 $17.52

336.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.19 $12.19

47.83%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,470 $1,470

86.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.6K $23.6K

29.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.2 $56.2

40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$51.2 $51.2

6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.2 $89.2

42.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$80.6 $80.6

97.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,594 $1,594

57.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,577 $1,577

22.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,856 $2,856

79.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,215 $2,215

59.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,141 $5,141

43.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,361 $2,361

111.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,880 $3,880

66.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.45

6.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aurora, IL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Aurora, IL

$1.6K 56.9% 18.6% $361

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Aurora, IL

$356 12.8% 35% $191

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Aurora, IL

$281 10.1% 39.3% $182

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Aurora, IL

$274 9.9% 32.4% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Aurora, IL

$125 4.5% 33.9% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Aurora, IL

$120 4.3% 7.1% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Aurora, IL

$42 1.5% 62.8% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,594 in Aurora, IL. 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 67% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $59 in Aurora, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $356 – making Aurora, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Aurora, IL

🕒 Local time

14:20 2:20 PM

16:20 4:20 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

180,542

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Aurora, IL 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Aurora, IL

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 Aurora, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 36% more than Aurora, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $4,161 in Aurora, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aurora, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $59 in Aurora, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. That makes Aurora, IL about 27% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Aurora, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.