Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Belfast, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Belfast, ME: $2,603 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Belfast, ME
Learn more

Belfast, ME Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Belfast, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,603

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,603 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Belfast, ME $2,603

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,832 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Belfast, ME $3,832

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,060 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Belfast, ME $5,060

Seattle, WA costs about 45% more than Belfast, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Belfast, ME sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Belfast, ME by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.23 $20.23

25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.3 $76.3

32.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.37 $11.37

29.82%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.47 $5.47

18.83%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.59 $2.59

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.95 $1.95

61.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.94 $5.94

34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.39 $7.39

10.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 $1.05

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.58 $3.58

48.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.44 $4.44

44.14%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.10 $4.10

23.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.58 $12.58

48.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.82 $11.82

58.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.14 $17.14

33.49%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.98 $4.98

21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.58 $1.58

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.42 $4.42

24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.05 $4.05

60.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.89 $2.89

20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.92 $2.92

12.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.14 $2.14

30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.31 $2.31

11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.18 $10.18

22.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.97 $14.97

-0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.13 $2.13

96.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.44 $3.44

68.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.79 $1.79

70.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.0 $59.0

79.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.31 $3.31

-22.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$26.30 $26.30

14.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 $0.99

42.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

29.15%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.01%

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

$308 $308

$202 $202

52.15%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.9 $58.9

17.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$69.7 $69.7

23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$40.70 $40.70

87.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.27 $12.27

46.86%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,382 $1,382

98.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.3K $24.3K

25.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.8 $52.8

49.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.70 $40.70

33.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$88.6 $88.6

43.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$112 $112

41.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,570 $1,570

59.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,272 $1,272

52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,533 $2,533

102.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,133 $2,133

66.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,799 $2,799

163.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,330 $2,330

114.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

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 26, 2026

Last update for Belfast, ME: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Belfast, ME

$1.3K 48.9% 34.4% $667

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Belfast, ME

$399 15.3% 27% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Belfast, ME

$331 12.7% 28.5% $132

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Belfast, ME

$324 12.5% 20.2% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Belfast, ME

$133 5.1% 29.8% $56

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Belfast, ME

$79 3.1% 38.5% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Belfast, ME

$65 2.5% 42% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,570 in Belfast, ME. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Belfast, ME. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $399 – making Belfast, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Belfast, ME

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

14:04 2:04 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

6,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Belfast, ME 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,904 in Belfast, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belfast, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,570 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Belfast, ME. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,382 in Belfast, ME. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,603 in Belfast, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Belfast, ME is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 45% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.