Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bend, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in Bend, OR: $3,199 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 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
152

Cost of Living Index in Bend, OR
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Bend, OR Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bend, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$3,199

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bend, OR

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 Bend, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,199 in Bend, OR.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bend, OR $3,199

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,462 in Bend, OR.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bend, OR $4,462

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,724 in Bend, OR.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bend, OR $5,724

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 18% more expensive than in Bend, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Bend, OR 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$21.31 $21.31

18.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$89.1 $89.1

13.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.25 $10.25

44.00%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.68 $5.68

14.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.43 $2.43

32.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.77 $1.77

77.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.32 $6.32

26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.01 $8.01

1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.15 $1.15

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.30 $3.30

60.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.29 $4.29

49.18%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.56 $3.56

42.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$18.93 $18.93

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.94 $10.94

71.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$26.21 $26.21

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.16 $6.16

-1.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.54 $6.54

-15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.34 $5.34

22.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.91 $1.91

82.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.64 $2.64

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.53 $3.53

-26.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.42 $11.42

9.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.98 $15.98

-6.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.71 $1.71

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.11 $5.11

13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.03 $2.03

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$60.5 $60.5

74.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.08 $4.08

-36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.45 $2.45

-33.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$44.67 $44.67

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.31 $1.31

7.63%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$29.3K $29.3K

25.72%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

8.25%

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

$308 $308

$199 $199

54.72%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$78.1 $78.1

-11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$44.31 $44.31

72.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$39.95 $39.95

-11.14%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.58 $14.58

23.59%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,140 $1,140

140.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.8K $31.8K

-3.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$63.1 $63.1

25.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$71.2 $71.2

-23.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.8 $89.8

41.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$118 $118

34.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,957 $1,957

28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,714 $1,714

13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,973 $2,973

72.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,360 $2,360

50.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$6,698 $6,698

10.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,029 $4,029

24.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,781 $4,781

35.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.78

1.62%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bend, OR: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bend, OR

$1.7K 53.6% 11.6% $225

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bend, OR

$476 14.9% 13% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bend, OR

$363 11.4% 21.6% $100

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bend, OR

$334 10.4% 17.8% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bend, OR

$154 4.8% 18.4% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bend, OR

$85 2.7% 34.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bend, OR

$73 2.3% 34.7% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,957 in Bend, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, 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 $89 in Bend, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $476 per month, with Bend, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bend, OR

🕒 Local time

15:10 3:10 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

111,823

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Bend, OR 400 km

From you

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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 Bend, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,199 in Bend, OR, so Bend, OR is about 15% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,957 in Bend, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bend, OR runs roughly 43% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,140 in Bend, OR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bend, OR 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.

Expats usually find Bend, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.