Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Billings, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Billings, MT: $2,349 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 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
113

Cost of Living Index in Billings, MT
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Billings, MT Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Billings, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,349

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Billings, MT

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 Billings, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,349 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Billings, MT $2,349

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,546 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Billings, MT $3,546

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,743 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Billings, MT $4,743

Seattle, WA costs about 61% more than Billings, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Billings, MT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Billings, MT by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.68 $25.68

-1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.4 $76.4

32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.63 $13.63

8.29%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.44 $6.44

0.93%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.38 $2.38

34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.65 $1.65

90.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.14 $4.14

92.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.91 $4.91

65.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.01 $1.01

15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.53 $3.53

50.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.27 $3.27

95.72%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.09 $3.09

63.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.20 $12.20

53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.56 $11.56

61.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.29 $17.29

32.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.68 $3.68

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.44 $1.44

35.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.87 $2.87

91.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.66 $4.66

39.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.12 $1.12

211.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.01 $2.01

63.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.39 $2.39

17.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.49 $1.49

73.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.59 $9.59

30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.91 $10.91

36.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.20 $2.20

90.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.20 $5.20

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$27.95 $27.95

279.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.46 $2.46

4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.39 $1.39

17.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$59.6 $59.6

-49.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.01 $1.01

39.60%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$29.7K $29.7K

23.78%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.45%

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

$308 $308

$171 $171

80.29%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$49.63 $49.63

39.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$83.1 $83.1

3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$41.40 $41.40

84.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$15.25 $15.25

132.79%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.89 $13.89

29.73%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,074 $1,074

155.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$19.4K $19.4K

57.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.1 $61.1

29.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$66.3 $66.3

-18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$96.7 $96.7

31.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$122 $122

30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,183 $1,183

112.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,049 $1,049

84.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,894 $1,894

170.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,834 $1,834

93.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,472 $2,472

198.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,073 $2,073

141.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,926 $3,926

64.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.4

7.66%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Billings, MT: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Billings, MT

$1K 44.7% 45.9% $889

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Billings, MT

$357 15.2% 34.7% $190

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Billings, MT

$303 12.9% 34.5% $159

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Billings, MT

$370 15.8% 8.9% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Billings, MT

$156 6.6% 17.6% $33

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Billings, MT

$45 1.9% 65% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Billings, MT

$69 3% 38.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,183 in Billings, MT. 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 65% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Billings, MT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $357 – making Billings, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Billings, MT

🕒 Local time

19:49 7:49 PM

20:49 8:49 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

117,116

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Billings, MT 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Billings, MT

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 Billings, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 61% more than Billings, MT, 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 $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,524 in Billings, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Billings, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,183 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 74% less in Billings, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,074 in Billings, MT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,349 in Billings, MT. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Billings, MT – 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 Billings, MT. 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.