Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bethel, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethel, AK: $2,651 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
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Bethel, AK Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bethel, AK $2,651

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,886 in Bethel, AK.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bethel, AK $3,886

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,121 in Bethel, AK.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bethel, AK $5,121

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 43% more expensive than in Bethel, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Bethel, AK 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.21 $20.21

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$75.7 $75.7

33.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.47 $11.47

28.68%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.30 $5.30

22.64%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.74 $2.74

17.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.96 $1.96

60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.02 $6.02

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.40 $7.40

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.01 $1.01

15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.52 $3.52

50.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.27 $4.27

49.88%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.29 $4.29

17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.33 $12.33

51.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.41 $11.41

64.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.34 $17.34

31.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.98 $4.98

21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.64 $1.64

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.40 $4.40

25.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.61 $4.61

41.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.78 $2.78

25.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.95 $2.95

11.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.10 $2.10

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.29 $2.29

12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.98 $9.98

25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.84 $14.84

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.92 $1.92

118.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.27 $3.27

77.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$63.2 $63.2

67.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.14 $3.14

-17.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.76 $1.76

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.48 $29.48

2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

30.89%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.60%

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

$308 $308

$196 $196

56.93%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.9 $58.9

17.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.8 $70.8

21.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$42.45 $42.45

80.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.96 $13.96

29.08%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,425 $1,425

92.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.6K $23.6K

29.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$53.0 $53.0

49.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.55 $41.55

30.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.3 $89.3

42.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$116 $116

37.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,584 $1,584

58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,316 $1,316

47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,537 $2,537

101.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,183 $2,183

62.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,740 $2,740

169.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,372 $2,372

110.89%

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 Bethel, AK: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bethel, AK

$1.3K 49.7% 32.1% $622

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bethel, AK

$397 15% 27.4% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bethel, AK

$326 12.3% 29.6% $137

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bethel, AK

$323 12.2% 20.4% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bethel, AK

$135 5.1% 28.5% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bethel, AK

$83 3.1% 35.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bethel, AK

$70 2.7% 37.4% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $76 in Bethel, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $397 per month, with Bethel, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

10:07 10:07 AM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

6,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bethel, AK 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Bethel, AK differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($3,785 vs $2,651 including rent). Bethel, AK is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $3,976 in Bethel, AK to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bethel, AK runs roughly 40% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $2,651 in Bethel, AK versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bethel, AK but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Bethel, AK the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Bethel, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.