Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Barnstable, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Barnstable, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,354 in Barnstable, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,517 in Barnstable, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $4,680 in Barnstable, MA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 63% more expensive than in Barnstable, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Barnstable, MA 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$18.04 $18.04

36.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$75.8 $75.8

30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.03 $10.03

50.45%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$3.94 $3.94

68.02%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.20 $2.20

42.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.65 $1.65

80.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$4.95 $4.95

64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.94 $6.94

13.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.94 $2.94

76.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.22 $4.22

51.66%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$4.17 $4.17

17.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$6.41 $6.41

234.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$8.61 $8.61

115.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$8.79 $8.79

162.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$4.11 $4.11

40.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.71 $1.71

9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.51 $4.51

19.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.54 $3.54

77.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.15 $2.15

76.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.13 $2.13

53.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.98 $1.98

44.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.51 $2.51

7.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.47 $12.47

13.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$13.10 $13.10

15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.15 $2.15

102.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.07 $4.07

41.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.04 $2.04

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$35.13 $35.13

213.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.51 $3.51

-26.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.56 $3.56

-53.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$26.33 $26.33

13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.95 $0.95

45.26%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.3K $37.3K

-2.30%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.6K $23.6K

6.43%

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

$296 $296

$98.1 $98.1

201.76%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$59.1 $59.1

20.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$64.8 $64.8

35.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$41.02 $41.02

98.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

$23.54 $23.54

51.66%

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$13.81 $13.81

32.73%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,827 $1,827

67.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$30.5K $30.5K

0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$56.3 $56.3

36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$37.67 $37.67

43.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$81.2 $81.2

57.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$99.5 $99.5

65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,590 $1,590

52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,269 $1,269

52.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,489 $2,489

91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,148 $2,148

66.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,720 $2,720

172.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,405 $2,405

110.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$4,709 $4,709

34.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.04

6.29%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,590 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $76.0 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $323 per month, with Barnstable, MA cheaper across the board.

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 Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Barnstable, MA differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($3,836 vs $2,354 including rent). Barnstable, MA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,590 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barnstable, MA runs roughly 213% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $1,827 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,354 in Barnstable, MA versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barnstable, MA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Barnstable, MA 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.

Expats usually find Barnstable, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.