Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bellevue, WA

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Bellevue, WA: $3,785 and $3,763 a month, rent and utilities included.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,763

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bellevue, WA

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 Bellevue, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bellevue, WA $3,763

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $5,702 in Bellevue, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bellevue, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $7,641 in Bellevue, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bellevue, WA $7,641

Monthly costs are close between Seattle, WA and Bellevue, WA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Bellevue, WA 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.38 $25.38

-0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.03 $13.03

13.28%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.80 $5.80

12.07%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.15 $3.15

1.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.51 $2.51

25.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.91 $7.91

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.94 $7.94

2.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.65 $4.65

13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.05 $6.05

5.79%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.54 $5.54

-8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.96 $15.96

17.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$16.26 $16.26

15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$22.78 $22.78

0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.61 $5.61

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.87 $1.87

4.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.54 $5.54

-0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.52 $4.52

44.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.77 $2.77

25.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.32 $3.32

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.99 $1.99

40.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.48 $2.48

4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.41 $12.41

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.19 $18.19

-18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.12 $2.12

97.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.75 $4.75

22.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$110 $110

-3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.64 $2.64

-2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.70 $1.70

-3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$30.09 $30.09

0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.6K $28.6K

28.69%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.94%

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

$308 $308

$227 $227

35.23%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.2 $54.2

27.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.8 $64.8

32.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$186 $186

-58.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$39.31 $39.31

-9.69%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$18.28 $18.28

-1.42%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,980 $1,980

38.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-3.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$62.1 $62.1

27.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.06 $44.06

23.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$99.2 $99.2

27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$125 $125

26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,940 $2,940

-14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,028 $2,028

-4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$6,554 $6,554

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,722 $3,722

-4.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$7,947 $7,947

-7.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$5,385 $5,385

-7.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$8,751 $8,751

-26.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bellevue, WA

$2K 53.9% 4.6% $90

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bellevue, WA

$494 13.1% 9.6% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.2% 25.2% $116

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bellevue, WA

$390 10.4% 4.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bellevue, WA

$149 4% 21.1% $40

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bellevue, WA

$133 3.6% 3.5% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bellevue, WA

$222 5.9% 97.8% $110

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays 35% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Bellevue, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $494, with Bellevue, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🕒 Local time

14:11 2:11 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

151,854

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Bellevue, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Seattle, WA. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 4% less than in Bellevue, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,980 in Bellevue, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bellevue, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.