Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bloomington, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IL: $2,280 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IL
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Bloomington, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bloomington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,280

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Bloomington, IL

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 Bloomington, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,280 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bloomington, IL $2,280

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,272 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bloomington, IL $3,272

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,264 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bloomington, IL $4,264

Seattle, WA costs about 66% more than Bloomington, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bloomington, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Bloomington, IL by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.17 $18.17

39.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.3 $78.3

28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.20 $12.20

20.98%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.98 $4.98

30.52%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.36 $2.36

36.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.68 $1.68

86.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.60 $5.60

42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.89 $6.89

18.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.44 $2.44

117.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.35 $4.35

47.13%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.62 $3.62

39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.14 $13.14

42.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$7.86 $7.86

138.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.51 $17.51

30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.68 $3.68

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.59 $1.59

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.45 $5.45

1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.47 $3.47

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.41 $3.41

2.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.75 $2.75

19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.68 $2.68

4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.71 $2.71

-4.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.07 $8.07

54.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.21 $15.21

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.01 $2.01

108.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.23 $3.23

79.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.27 $1.27

140.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.17 $40.17

163.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.42 $3.42

-24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.53 $1.53

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$39.42 $39.42

-23.59%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

32.92%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.07%

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

$308 $308

$203 $203

51.17%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$70.9 $70.9

-2.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$75.5 $75.5

14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$44.79 $44.79

70.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$9.83 $9.83

83.32%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,429 $1,429

92.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

26.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$58.3 $58.3

35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.48 $39.48

37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$83.8 $83.8

51.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$118 $118

35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$905 $905

177.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,004 $1,004

93.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,456 $1,456

251.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,461 $1,461

142.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,572 $1,572

369.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,257 $1,257

297.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,622 $4,622

39.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bloomington, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bloomington, IL

$1K 44% 48.2% $934

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bloomington, IL

$371 16.3% 32.1% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bloomington, IL

$350 15.3% 24.4% $113

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bloomington, IL

$300 13.1% 26.2% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bloomington, IL

$135 5.9% 28.6% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bloomington, IL

$56 2.5% 56.3% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bloomington, IL

$64 2.8% 42.7% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $905 in Bloomington, IL. 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 40% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $78 in Bloomington, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $371 – making Bloomington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IL

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

14:02 2:02 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

69,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bloomington, IL 2,760 km ≈ 4 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 Bloomington, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 66% more than Bloomington, IL, 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 $3,421 in Bloomington, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomington, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $905 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,429 in Bloomington, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,280 in Bloomington, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bloomington, IL – 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 Bloomington, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.