Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IN: $2,206 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IN
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Bloomington, IN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Bloomington, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,206

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,206 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Bloomington, IN $2,206

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,050 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Bloomington, IN $3,050

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,894 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Bloomington, IN $3,894

Seattle, WA costs about 72% more than Bloomington, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Bloomington, IN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Bloomington, IN by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.19 $15.19

66.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$49.60 $49.60

103.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.05 $10.05

46.87%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.91 $4.91

32.38%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.13 $2.13

50.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.50 $1.50

109.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.11 $5.11

55.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.03 $6.03

34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.75 $0.75

56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.32 $3.32

59.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.04 $4.04

58.42%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.64 $3.64

39.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.04 $13.04

43.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$6.04 $6.04

209.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.09 $16.09

42.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.35 $4.35

39.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.29 $1.29

51.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.22 $3.22

71.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.60 $4.60

41.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.56 $2.56

36.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.30 $3.30

-0.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.01 $2.01

39.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.84 $1.84

40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.78 $9.78

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.07 $11.07

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.83 $1.83

128.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.92 $2.92

98.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.97 $0.97

214.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$29.41 $29.41

260.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.67 $3.67

-29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.05 $1.05

56.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$18.31 $18.31

64.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.89 $0.89

58.43%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.50%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.76%

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

$308 $308

$148 $148

108.29%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$78.0 $78.0

-11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.6 $64.6

33.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$31.26 $31.26

144.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$20.80 $20.80

70.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.75 $11.75

53.36%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,300 $1,300

111.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$19.7K $19.7K

55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$46.11 $46.11

71.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$42.71 $42.71

27.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$66.8 $66.8

89.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$88.9 $88.9

78.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,231 $1,231

103.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,110 $1,110

74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,987 $1,987

157.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,515 $1,515

133.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,370 $2,370

211.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,932 $1,932

158.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,682 $3,682

75.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.55

5.19%

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, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Bloomington, IN

$1.1K 50.3% 42.7% $829

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Bloomington, IN

$336 15.2% 38.6% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Bloomington, IN

$290 13.2% 37.3% $173

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Bloomington, IN

$263 11.9% 35.3% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Bloomington, IN

$110 5% 41.7% $79

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Bloomington, IN

$42 1.9% 67.3% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Bloomington, IN

$55 2.5% 51.3% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,231 in Bloomington, IN. 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 76% 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 $50 in Bloomington, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $336 – making Bloomington, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IN

🕒 Local time

14:08 2:08 PM

17:08 5:08 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

69,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Bloomington, IN 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Bloomington, IN

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 Bloomington, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 72%, 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 $3,309 in Bloomington, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomington, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,231 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Bloomington, IN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,300 in Bloomington, IN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bloomington, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,206, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Bloomington, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bloomington, IN – 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, IN. 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.