Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellingham, WA: $2,969 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,969

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,969 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Bellingham, WA $2,969

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,414 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Bellingham, WA $4,414

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,859 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Bellingham, WA $5,859

Seattle, WA costs about 27% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Bellingham, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Bellingham, WA by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$23.14 $23.14

2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$99.7 $99.7

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$13.19 $13.19

13.27%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.80 $5.80

17.07%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.12 $3.12

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.15 $2.15

46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.15 $7.15

14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.20 $7.20

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.62 $3.62

46.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.99 $4.99

15.43%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$5.06 $5.06

-3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$20.85 $20.85

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$18.01 $18.01

-0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$24.03 $24.03

-2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.17 $5.17

14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.96 $1.96

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.41 $5.41

-1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.48 $6.48

1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.48 $3.48

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.95 $2.95

-2.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.64 $2.64

9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.48 $2.48

-2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.27 $12.27

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.87 $14.87

2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.69 $1.69

159.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.56 $5.56

5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.95 $1.95

51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$29.66 $29.66

268.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.67 $2.67

-5.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.05 $30.05

-1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.50 $1.50

0.67%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.8K $27.8K

30.35%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

-3.17%

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

$289 $289

$218 $218

32.75%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$59.2 $59.2

16.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$80.4 $80.4

5.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$61.8 $61.8

12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$15.06 $15.06

132.74%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$17.89 $17.89

0.45%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,148 $1,148

145.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$12.1K $12.1K

262.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$78.6 $78.6

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$29.01 $29.01

89.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$118 $118

7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$98.6 $98.6

64.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,663 $1,663

55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,444 $1,444

34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,627 $2,627

94.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,385 $2,385

48.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,446 $4,446

65.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$3,853 $3,853

27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,304 $4,304

49.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.57

3.50%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bellingham, WA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Bellingham, WA

$1.4K 48.6% 25.7% $498

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Bellingham, WA

$510 17.2% 6.1% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Bellingham, WA

$357 12% 19.3% $86

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Bellingham, WA

$366 12.3% 8.4% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Bellingham, WA

$146 4.9% 25.6% $50

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Bellingham, WA

$49 1.6% 63.1% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Bellingham, WA

$98 3.3% 7.4% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,663 in Bellingham, WA. 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 50% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $100 in Bellingham, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $544 in Seattle, WA vs $510 in Bellingham, WA – so Bellingham, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🕒 Local time

01:46 1:46 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

91,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 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 Bellingham, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 27% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,454 in Bellingham, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellingham, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,663 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Bellingham, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,969 in Bellingham, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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