Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bel Air, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Air, MD: $2,655 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Bel Air, MD
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Bel Air, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Bel Air, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,655

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bel Air, MD

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 Bel Air, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,655 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Bel Air, MD $2,655

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,800 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Bel Air, MD $3,800

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,945 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Bel Air, MD $4,945

Seattle, WA costs about 42% more than Bel Air, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bel Air, MD sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Bel Air, MD by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.74 $15.74

55.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$68.4 $68.4

43.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.19 $10.19

45.14%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.35 $5.35

21.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$1.77 $1.77

82.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.72 $1.72

84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.38 $6.38

23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.48 $6.48

23.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.01 $1.01

19.80%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.45 $3.45

48.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.23 $4.23

43.03%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.12 $4.12

18.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.25 $12.25

56.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.63 $11.63

62.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.12 $17.12

36.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.13 $5.13

16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.58 $1.58

22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.21 $4.21

24.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.80 $4.80

36.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.83 $2.83

27.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.02 $3.02

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.18 $2.18

27.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.22 $2.22

13.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.18 $10.18

19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.22 $15.22

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.98 $1.98

113.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.32 $3.32

73.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.86 $1.86

58.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$101 $101

5.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.10 $3.10

-14.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 $1.71

0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.88 $29.88

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.06 $1.06

40.57%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

27.43%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

2.23%

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

$302 $302

$202 $202

49.51%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$57.4 $57.4

22.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$70.4 $70.4

21.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$35.99 $35.99

116.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$38.52 $38.52

-10.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.65 $12.65

41.03%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,424 $1,424

108.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

33.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.79 $47.79

60.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.48 $41.48

30.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$94.4 $94.4

35.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$100 $100

63.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,814 $1,814

34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,339 $1,339

45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,585 $2,585

83.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,057 $2,057

68.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,551 $2,551

188.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,446 $2,446

109.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,092 $5,092

27.79%

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 Bel Air, MD: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Bel Air, MD

$1.3K 50.4% 31.2% $607

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Bel Air, MD

$397 15% 27.2% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Bel Air, MD

$330 12.4% 27.9% $128

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Bel Air, MD

$279 10.5% 30.1% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Bel Air, MD

$128 4.8% 32.9% $63

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bel Air, MD

$120 4.5% 7% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Bel Air, MD

$61 2.3% 46% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,814 in Bel Air, MD. 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 28% 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 $68.0 in Bel Air, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $397 – making Bel Air, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bel Air, MD

🕒 Local time

18:24 6:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

8,253

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Bel Air, MD 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bel Air, MD

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 Bel Air, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA, $2,655 in Bel Air, MD – roughly 42% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,982 in Bel Air, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,655 in Bel Air, MD. That's a gap of about 42%.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Bel Air, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,655 in Bel Air, MD. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,655 in Bel Air, MD to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bel Air, MD. 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.