Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Barrington, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Barrington, IL: $2,677 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Barrington, IL
Learn more

Barrington, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Barrington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,677

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Barrington, IL

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 Barrington, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,677 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Barrington, IL $2,677

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,008 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Barrington, IL $4,008

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,339 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Barrington, IL $5,339

Seattle, WA costs about 41% more than Barrington, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Barrington, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Barrington, IL by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.21 $20.21

21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$74.5 $74.5

31.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.36 $11.36

30.19%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.24 $5.24

24.43%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.60 $2.60

24.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.05 $2.05

54.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.99 $5.99

31.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.14 $7.14

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.16 $1.16

4.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.79 $3.79

35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.33 $4.33

39.72%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.27 $4.27

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$15.24 $15.24

25.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.09 $11.09

70.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.23 $17.23

35.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.76 $5.76

3.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.98 $1.98

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.59 $4.59

14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.74 $6.74

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.75 $2.75

31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.17 $2.17

52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.43 $2.43

14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.28 $2.28

10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.15 $10.15

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$17.22 $17.22

-13.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.87 $1.87

125.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.42 $3.42

68.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.97 $1.97

49.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$117 $117

-8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.43 $3.43

-22.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.57 $1.57

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$33.06 $33.06

-10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.17 $1.17

27.35%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

29.27%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.11%

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

$302 $302

$230 $230

31.08%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$48.44 $48.44

44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$59.0 $59.0

44.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$67.2 $67.2

15.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$15.27 $15.27

126.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.61 $14.61

22.11%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,481 $1,481

100.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$27.6K $27.6K

13.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$52.5 $52.5

45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.21 $41.21

31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.8 $89.8

42.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$112 $112

46.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,604 $1,604

52.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,222 $1,222

59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,526 $2,526

87.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,167 $2,167

60.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,376 $2,376

210.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,187 $2,187

134.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,760 $5,760

12.96%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Barrington, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Barrington, IL

$1.2K 45.7% 37.2% $724

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Barrington, IL

$430 16.1% 21.2% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Barrington, IL

$338 12.6% 26.1% $119

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Barrington, IL

$322 12% 19.6% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Barrington, IL

$133 5% 30% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Barrington, IL

$136 5.1% 5% $6.4

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Barrington, IL

$96 3.6% 15.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,604 in Barrington, IL. 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 13% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $75.0 in Barrington, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $430 – making Barrington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Barrington, IL

🕒 Local time

20:17 8:17 PM

22:17 10:17 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

10,772

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Barrington, IL 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Barrington, IL

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 Barrington, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 41% more than Barrington, IL, 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 $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,015 in Barrington, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barrington, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Barrington, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,481 in Barrington, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,677 in Barrington, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barrington, IL costs $2,677 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barrington, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.