Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bangor, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangor, ME: $2,256 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Bangor, ME
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Bangor, ME Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bangor, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,256

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bangor, ME

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,256 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bangor, ME $2,256

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,339 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bangor, ME $3,339

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,423 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bangor, ME $4,423

Seattle, WA costs about 68% more than Bangor, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bangor, ME sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Bangor, ME by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.90 $15.90

59.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$68.6 $68.6

47.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.22 $12.22

20.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.58 $5.58

16.49%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.82 $2.82

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.47 $2.47

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.95 $4.95

61.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.39 $7.39

10.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.12 $1.12

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.81 $4.81

10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.90 $1.90

236.84%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.05 $4.05

24.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.64 $13.64

37.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.91 $8.91

110.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.11 $19.11

19.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.78 $4.78

26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.50 $1.50

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.84 $5.84

-5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.84 $6.84

-4.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.41 $2.41

44.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.75 $3.75

-12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.71 $1.71

63.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.65 $1.65

56.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.04 $10.04

24.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.71 $14.71

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.93 $1.93

117.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.64 $2.64

119.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.97 $1.97

54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$29.84 $29.84

255.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.07 $3.07

-15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.14 $2.14

-23.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$10.96 $10.96

174.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.92 $0.92

53.26%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

55.54%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.78%

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

$308 $308

$229 $229

34.22%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$51.7 $51.7

33.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$79.3 $79.3

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$49.24 $49.24

55.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$11.95 $11.95

197.07%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$10.79 $10.79

67.01%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,507 $1,507

82.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.8 $52.8

49.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$29.41 $29.41

84.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$76.9 $76.9

64.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$66.0 $66.0

140.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,042 $1,042

140.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$979 $979

98.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,866 $1,866

174.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,665 $1,665

112.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,011 $2,011

266.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,992 $1,992

151.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,835 $4,835

33.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.49

6.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bangor, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bangor, ME

$979 43.4% 49.5% $960

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bangor, ME

$402 17.8% 26.5% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bangor, ME

$360 16% 22.2% $103

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bangor, ME

$292 12.9% 28.2% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bangor, ME

$101 4.5% 46.3% $87

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bangor, ME

$51 2.3% 60.1% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bangor, ME

$71 3.1% 37% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,042 in Bangor, ME. 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 34% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $69 in Bangor, ME. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $402 – making Bangor, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bangor, ME

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

21:39 9:39 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

31,753

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bangor, ME 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bangor, ME

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 Bangor, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 68% more than Bangor, ME, 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 $3,384 in Bangor, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bangor, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,042 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $69 in Bangor, ME. 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 $2,256 in Bangor, ME. That makes Bangor, ME about 40% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,256 in Bangor, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bangor, ME – 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 Bangor, ME. 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.