Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Binghamton, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Binghamton, NY: $2,256 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Binghamton, NY
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Binghamton, NY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Binghamton, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,256

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Binghamton, NY

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 Binghamton, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $2,256 in Binghamton, NY.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Binghamton, NY $2,256

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $3,410 in Binghamton, NY.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Binghamton, NY $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $4,565 in Binghamton, NY.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Binghamton, NY $4,565

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 68% more expensive than in Binghamton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Binghamton, NY 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$18.32 $18.32

38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$49.62 $49.62

104.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.07 $11.07

34.15%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.82 $4.82

36.72%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.14 $2.14

50.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.57 $1.57

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.08 $5.08

61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.14 $6.14

30.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.83 $0.83

45.78%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.52 $3.52

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.17 $4.17

51.08%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$3.79 $3.79

29.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$12.36 $12.36

54.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$12.00 $12.00

54.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$14.54 $14.54

58.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.37 $5.37

8.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.78 $1.78

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.11 $5.11

3.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$6.29 $6.29

3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.87 $3.87

-7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.58 $3.58

-12.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.36 $2.36

20.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.96 $2.96

-18.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$14.66 $14.66

-13.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.95 $14.95

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.69 $1.69

146.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.02 $5.02

19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.95 $1.95

55.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$70.3 $70.3

56.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.97 $2.97

-14.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.78 $1.78

-7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$24.16 $24.16

22.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.02 $1.02

39.22%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

26.19%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.8K $27.8K

-7.97%

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

$299 $299

$213 $213

40.24%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$65.3 $65.3

8.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$64.3 $64.3

37.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$51.6 $51.6

54.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$40.33 $40.33

-12.30%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$12.81 $12.81

33.65%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,302 $1,302

131.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$7,031 $7,031

349.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$41.32 $41.32

86.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$57.9 $57.9

-4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$75.2 $75.2

67.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$148 $148

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,323 $1,323

86.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$893 $893

119.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$1,946 $1,946

142.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,666 $1,666

113.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,419 $1,419

417.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,267 $1,267

298.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,684 $3,684

70.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.65

3.01%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Binghamton, NY: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Binghamton, NY

$893 39.6% 54.4% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Binghamton, NY

$418 18.5% 22.9% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Binghamton, NY

$343 15.2% 25.2% $115

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Binghamton, NY

$290 12.9% 29% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Binghamton, NY

$145 6.4% 23.4% $44

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Binghamton, NY

$90 4% 32.3% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Binghamton, NY

$77 3.4% 32.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $50.0 in Binghamton, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $418 per month, with Binghamton, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Binghamton, NY

🕒 Local time

19:39 7:39 PM

22:39 10:39 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

47,969

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Binghamton, NY 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Binghamton, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binghamton, NY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Binghamton, NY – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,256 in Binghamton, NY versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Binghamton, NY but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Binghamton, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binghamton, NY is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Binghamton, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.