Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Boise, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Boise, ID: $2,610 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Boise, ID

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

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,610 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Boise, ID $2,610

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,672 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Boise, ID $3,672

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,735 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Boise, ID $4,735

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Boise, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Boise, ID sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Boise, ID by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.78 $19.78

28.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$71.3 $71.3

42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$13.07 $13.07

13.62%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$6.08 $6.08

8.39%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.71 $2.71

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.98 $1.98

58.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$6.92 $6.92

18.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.59 $6.59

21.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.98 $0.98

23.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.74 $3.74

36.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.12 $6.12

2.94%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.42 $4.42

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$16.09 $16.09

18.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$11.12 $11.12

66.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$17.27 $17.27

33.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.96 $4.96

17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.76 $1.76

10.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.02 $4.02

31.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.80 $4.80

35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.88 $2.88

23.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.58 $2.58

22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.31 $2.31

23.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.10 $9.10

40.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.82 $15.82

-5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.13 $2.13

95.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.33 $3.33

79.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.52 $1.52

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$41.35 $41.35

166.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.59 $2.59

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.47 $1.47

11.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$23.87 $23.87

23.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.16 $1.16

22.41%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.6K $36.6K

-2.32%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

2.09%

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

$299 $299

$176 $176

69.76%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$56.1 $56.1

26.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$75.2 $75.2

17.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$39.55 $39.55

101.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$37.29 $37.29

-5.15%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$12.60 $12.60

35.87%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$959 $959

214.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

31.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$53.0 $53.0

45.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$41.26 $41.26

33.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$90.1 $90.1

39.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$110 $110

47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,613 $1,613

52.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,289 $1,289

51.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,489 $2,489

89.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,800 $1,800

97.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$7,339 $7,339

0.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$3,126 $3,126

61.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$4,233 $4,233

48.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.68

2.54%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Boise, ID: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Boise, ID

$1.3K 49.4% 34.1% $667

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Boise, ID

$422 16.2% 22.2% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Boise, ID

$307 11.8% 32.9% $151

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Boise, ID

$337 12.9% 17.5% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Boise, ID

$133 5.1% 30% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Boise, ID

$57 2.2% 56.9% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Boise, ID

$65 2.5% 43.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,613 in Boise, ID. 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 49% 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 $71.0 in Boise, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $422 – making Boise, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

11:05 11:05 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

235,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Boise, ID 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Boise, ID

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 Boise, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Boise, ID, 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 $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,914 in Boise, ID. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boise, ID, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $3,013 per month in Seattle, WA and $959 in Boise, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $2,610 in Boise, ID. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boise, ID costs $2,610 versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boise, ID. 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.