Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bemidji, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Bemidji, MN: $2,544 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Bemidji, MN
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Bemidji, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Bemidji, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bemidji, MN

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 Bemidji, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,544 in Bemidji, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Bemidji, MN $2,544

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,762 in Bemidji, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Bemidji, MN $3,762

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,979 in Bemidji, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Bemidji, MN $4,979

Seattle, WA costs about 49% more than Bemidji, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bemidji, MN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Bemidji, MN by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.32 $20.32

20.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$74.4 $74.4

32.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.30 $11.30

30.88%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.24 $5.24

24.43%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.61 $2.61

23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.96 $1.96

61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.05 $6.05

29.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.36 $7.36

9.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.02 $1.02

18.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.48 $3.48

47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.35 $4.35

39.08%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.78 $3.78

29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.71 $11.71

63.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.70 $11.70

61.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.03 $17.03

36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.53 $5.53

8.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.41 $1.41

36.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.76 $4.76

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.94 $4.94

33.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.69 $2.69

34.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.79 $2.79

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.25 $2.25

23.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.16 $2.16

16.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.26 $11.26

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.72 $14.72

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.75 $1.75

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.94 $2.94

96.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.01 $2.01

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.95 $2.95

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.85 $1.85

-7.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.75 $29.75

-0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.76 $0.76

96.05%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$32.1K $32.1K

11.89%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.9K $24.9K

5.56%

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

$302 $302

$199 $199

51.52%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$60.8 $60.8

15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$68.8 $68.8

23.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.30 $42.30

84.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.82 $12.82

39.16%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,426 $1,426

108.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$22.7K $22.7K

37.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.82 $47.82

60.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.77 $39.77

35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$100 $100

27.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$102 $102

60.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,625 $1,625

50.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,279 $1,279

52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,501 $2,501

89.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,188 $2,188

58.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,772 $2,772

165.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,391 $2,391

114.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

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 Bemidji, MN: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Bemidji, MN

$1.3K 50.3% 34.3% $667

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Bemidji, MN

$395 15.5% 27.7% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Bemidji, MN

$329 12.9% 28.1% $128

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Bemidji, MN

$323 12.7% 19.3% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Bemidji, MN

$131 5.1% 31.3% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bemidji, MN

$20 * 0.8% 84.3% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Bemidji, MN

$68 2.7% 40.2% $46

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 $1,625 in Bemidji, MN. 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $74.0 in Bemidji, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $395 – making Bemidji, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bemidji, MN

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

05:20 5:20 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

13,431

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bemidji, MN 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bemidji, MN

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 Bemidji, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 49% more than Bemidji, MN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,816 in Bemidji, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bemidji, MN, 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 $74.0 in Bemidji, MN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,544 in Bemidji, MN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bemidji, MN costs $2,544 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bemidji, MN. 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.