Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Batavia, IL: $2,260 a month against $3,782 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
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Batavia, IL
Learn more

Batavia, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Batavia, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,260

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,260 in Batavia, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Batavia, IL $2,260

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,570 in Batavia, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Batavia, IL $3,570

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,881 in Batavia, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Batavia, IL $4,881

Seattle, WA costs about 67% more than Batavia, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Batavia, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Batavia, IL by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.42 $15.42

59.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$70.4 $70.4

39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.73 $12.73

16.18%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.89 $5.89

10.70%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.07 $3.07

5.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.25 $2.25

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.87 $6.87

14.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.68 $8.68

-7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.83 $0.83

45.78%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.76 $2.76

86.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.92 $2.92

107.19%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.61 $3.61

35.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$7.78 $7.78

146.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.46 $11.46

65.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$10.32 $10.32

125.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.73 $4.73

26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.57 $1.57

22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.43 $3.43

53.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.96 $4.96

32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.76 $1.76

105.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.96 $2.96

11.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.63 $1.63

70.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.43 $2.43

3.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.83 $10.83

12.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$8.19 $8.19

81.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.71 $1.71

146.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.55 $4.55

26.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.84 $1.84

60.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.94 $3.94

-32.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.99 $1.99

-13.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$43.91 $43.91

-32.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.03 $1.03

44.66%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$24.6K $24.6K

45.74%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.89%

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

$302 $302

$172 $172

75.03%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.0 $51.0

37.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$51.6 $51.6

65.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.45 $36.45

113.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$11.85 $11.85

50.55%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,472 $1,472

101.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

35.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.6 $57.6

32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.0 $50.0

8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.9 $87.9

45.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$124 $124

32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,600 $1,600

52.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,128 $1,128

72.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,619 $2,619

81.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,361 $2,361

46.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,917 $2,917

152.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,563 $2,563

100.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$1,961 $1,961

231.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Batavia, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Batavia, IL

$1.1K 49.9% 42% $818

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Batavia, IL

$326 14.4% 40.2% $219

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Batavia, IL

$275 12.2% 39.8% $182

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Batavia, IL

$305 13.5% 23.6% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Batavia, IL

$144 6.4% 24.4% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Batavia, IL

$21 * 0.9% 83.6% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Batavia, IL

$60 2.7% 47% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,600 in Batavia, 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 232% 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 $70.0 in Batavia, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $326 – making Batavia, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Batavia, IL

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

21:34 9:34 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

15,600

💱 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 Batavia, IL 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Batavia, 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 Batavia, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 67%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,390 in Batavia, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $70.0 in Batavia, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,260 in Batavia, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Batavia, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Batavia, 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.