Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bar Harbor, ME: $2,693 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
136

Cost of Living Index in Bar Harbor, ME
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Bar Harbor, ME Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bar Harbor, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,693

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bar Harbor, 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 Bar Harbor, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,693 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bar Harbor, ME $2,693

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,285 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bar Harbor, ME $4,285

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,878 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bar Harbor, ME $5,878

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 41% more expensive than in Bar Harbor, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Bar Harbor, ME 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.25 $25.25

0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.24 $15.24

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.16 $6.16

5.52%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.01 $3.01

6.64%

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

$7.95 $7.95

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.22 $8.22

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.12 $1.12

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.55 $4.55

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$8.66 $8.66

-26.10%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.04 $4.04

25.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$19.19 $19.19

-2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.17 $10.17

84.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.02 $16.02

42.82%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.83 $4.83

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.89 $5.89

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.66 $6.66

-2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$6.19 $6.19

-43.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.81 $3.81

-13.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.32 $3.32

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.61 $2.61

-1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.21 $12.21

2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.77 $14.77

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.88 $1.88

122.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.63 $2.63

120.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.85 $1.85

64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$58.7 $58.7

80.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.03 $2.03

27.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.56 $1.56

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$11.09 $11.09

171.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.05 $1.05

34.29%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.45%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.37%

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

$308 $308

$223 $223

38.16%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$70.0 $70.0

-1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$78.8 $78.8

9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$36.18 $36.18

111.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.09 $14.09

27.89%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,238 $1,238

121.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$20.4K $20.4K

49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.7 $52.7

50.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$78.6 $78.6

-30.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 $103

22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$134 $134

18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,344 $1,344

86.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,145 $1,145

69.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,177 $2,177

135.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,318 $2,318

52.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,107 $3,107

137.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,260 $2,260

121.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.5

6.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bar Harbor, 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%

Bar Harbor, ME

$1.1K 42.5% 40.9% $793

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bar Harbor, ME

$470 17.5% 14% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bar Harbor, ME

$371 13.8% 19.7% $91

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bar Harbor, ME

$400 14.9% 1.6% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bar Harbor, ME

$166 6.2% 12.1% $23

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bar Harbor, ME

$76 2.8% 41.1% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bar Harbor, ME

$64 2.4% 42.8% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,344 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 $547 vs $470, with Bar Harbor, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bar Harbor, ME

🕒 Local time

11:01 11:01 AM

14:01 2:01 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

5,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bar Harbor, ME 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA and Bar Harbor, ME differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($3,785 vs $2,693 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 $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $4,039 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,344 in Bar Harbor, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,693 in Bar Harbor, ME – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bar Harbor, ME runs roughly 45% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $2,693 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bar Harbor, ME but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Bar Harbor, ME the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.