Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bethesda, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethesda, MD: $3,184 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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 Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,184

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bethesda, MD

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 Bethesda, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bethesda, MD $3,184

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,988 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bethesda, MD $4,988

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,792 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bethesda, MD $6,792

Seattle, WA costs about 19% more than Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bethesda, MD sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Bethesda, MD by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$22.45 $22.45

12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.79 $10.79

36.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.39 $5.39

20.59%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.95 $2.95

8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.42 $2.42

29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.07 $7.07

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.77 $8.77

-7.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.18 $4.18

26.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.94 $3.94

62.44%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.59 $4.59

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.66 $16.66

12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.83 $15.83

18.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$23.19 $23.19

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.70 $5.70

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.35 $1.35

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.21 $4.21

30.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.16 $4.16

56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.23 $2.23

56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.61 $2.61

26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.36 $2.36

18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.45 $2.45

5.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.45 $9.45

32.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.13 $18.13

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.91 $2.91

99.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.02 $3.02

0.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$102 $102

4.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.99 $3.99

-35.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.27 $1.27

29.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.51 $24.51

22.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.91 $0.91

54.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$23.0K $23.0K

60.10%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.0K $24.0K

10.81%

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

$308 $308

$162 $162

90.07%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$38.86 $38.86

78.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$61.1 $61.1

40.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$106 $106

-27.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$30.35 $30.35

16.97%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$16.29 $16.29

10.62%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,830 $1,830

50.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$35.4K $35.4K

-13.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$54.3 $54.3

45.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$56.2 $56.2

-3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$102 $102

24.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$152 $152

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,260 $2,260

10.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,683 $1,683

15.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,962 $3,962

29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,285 $3,285

7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,989 $5,989

23.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$5,359 $5,359

-6.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$8,610 $8,610

-24.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.79

1.47%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bethesda, MD

$1.7K 52.9% 13.2% $255

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.5% 15.5% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bethesda, MD

$262 8.2% 43.4% $201

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bethesda, MD

$351 11% 13.6% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bethesda, MD

$164 5.1% 13.2% $25

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bethesda, MD

$124 3.9% 3.8% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bethesda, MD

$138 4.3% 22.9% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,260 in Bethesda, MD. 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 33% higher in Bethesda, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $101 in Bethesda, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $547 in Seattle, WA vs $462 in Bethesda, MD – so Bethesda, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

19:10 7:10 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

60,858

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Bethesda, MD 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bethesda, MD

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 Bethesda, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,777 in Bethesda, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bethesda, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,260 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Bethesda, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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