Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Austin, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, MN: $2,515 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Austin, MN
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Austin, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Austin, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Austin, MN

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,515 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Austin, MN $2,515

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,745 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Austin, MN $3,745

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,975 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Austin, MN $4,975

Seattle, WA costs about 50% more than Austin, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Austin, MN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Austin, MN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.88 $19.88

27.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.9 $99.9

0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.20 $12.20

20.98%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.96 $4.96

31.05%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.98 $2.98

7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.96 $1.96

60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.97 $4.97

60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.86 $5.86

38.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.86 $0.86

36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.97 $2.97

78.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.97 $1.97

224.87%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.66 $2.66

90.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$9.80 $9.80

90.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$6.46 $6.46

189.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.04 $19.04

20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.42 $5.42

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.23 $1.23

58.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.65 $3.65

50.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$1.76 $1.76

270.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.45 $2.45

42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.22 $2.22

48.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.53 $1.53

83.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.02 $2.02

27.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.73 $9.73

28.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$2.93 $2.93

407.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.68 $1.68

149.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.02 $3.02

92.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.29 $2.29

33.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$51.5 $51.5

105.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.23 $1.23

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$20.27 $20.27

48.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 $0.99

42.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

37.48%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

5.80%

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

$308 $308

$185 $185

66.04%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$53.4 $53.4

29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$77.7 $77.7

10.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$42.15 $42.15

81.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$10.17 $10.17

77.19%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,306 $1,306

110.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$11.9K $11.9K

156.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$75.0 $75.0

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$54.0 $54.0

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$105 $105

21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$166 $166

-4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,471 $1,471

70.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,280 $1,280

51.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,519 $2,519

103.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,111 $2,111

67.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,819 $2,819

161.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,036 $2,036

145.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Austin, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Austin, MN

$1.3K 50.9% 33.9% $658

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Austin, MN

$296 11.8% 45.9% $251

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Austin, MN

$316 12.6% 31.6% $146

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Austin, MN

$312 12.4% 23.3% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Austin, MN

$180 7.2% 4.7% $8.8

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Austin, MN

$69 2.7% 46.7% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Austin, MN

$62 2.5% 44.4% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,471 in Austin, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $100 in Austin, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $296 – making Austin, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Austin, MN

🕒 Local time

15:58 3:58 PM

17:58 5:58 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Austin, MN 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Austin, MN

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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 Austin, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,773 in Austin, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,471 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,515 in Austin, MN. That makes Austin, MN about 34% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,306 in Austin, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,515 in Austin, MN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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