Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bar Harbor, ME Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bar Harbor, ME

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $2,831 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $4,239 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $5,646 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 37% more expensive than in Bar Harbor, ME, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Bar Harbor, ME 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$24.56 $24.56

3.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.06 $15.06

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$6.12 $6.12

8.33%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.16 $3.16

-2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.40 $2.40

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$8.03 $8.03

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.11 $8.11

-2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.00 $1.00

22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.81 $4.81

6.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$8.34 $8.34

-26.14%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$3.98 $3.98

27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$19.47 $19.47

9.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$10.28 $10.28

79.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$16.24 $16.24

41.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.12 $5.12

17.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.64 $1.64

14.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$6.03 $6.03

-13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$6.93 $6.93

-8.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$6.44 $6.44

-41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.84 $3.84

-14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.30 $3.30

-13.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.51 $2.51

5.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$11.22 $11.22

23.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.13 $15.13

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.94 $1.94

114.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.68 $2.68

110.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.10 $2.10

41.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.95 $1.95

31.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.53 $1.53

7.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$10.98 $10.98

168.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.90 $0.90

62.22%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.9K $36.9K

-2.34%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.51%

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

$306 $306

$228 $228

34.49%

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

$70.2 $70.2

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$79.0 $79.0

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$38.31 $38.31

108.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$13.76 $13.76

29.72%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$1,252 $1,252

141.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.2K $20.2K

53.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$52.3 $52.3

46.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$81.4 $81.4

-33.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$104 $104

21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$131 $131

24.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,591 $1,591

54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,348 $1,348

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$2,564 $2,564

90.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$1,930 $1,930

87.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$2,703 $2,703

172.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$2,496 $2,496

100.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.23

3.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bar Harbor, ME: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $1,591 in Bar Harbor, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $118 in Bar Harbor, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $551 vs $476, with Bar Harbor, ME cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bar Harbor, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Bar Harbor, ME differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($3,886 vs $2,831 including rent). Bar Harbor, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,829 in Seattle, WA and $4,247 in Bar Harbor, ME 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: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $1,591 in Bar Harbor, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $1,252 in Bar Harbor, ME. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bar Harbor, ME – a meal for two runs $118 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bar Harbor, ME 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 Bar Harbor, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.