Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Brookings, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in Brookings, OR: $2,632 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Brookings, OR, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Brookings, OR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,632
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Brookings, OR

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,632 in Brookings, OR, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Brookings, OR $2,632

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,869 in Brookings, OR, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Brookings, OR $3,869

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,107 in Brookings, OR, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Brookings, OR $5,107

Seattle, WA costs about 44% more than Brookings, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Brookings, OR sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Brookings, OR by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$20.05 $20.05
26.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$74.7 $74.7
35.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$9.62 $9.62
53.43%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$6.35 $6.35
2.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$3.33 $3.33
-3.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$2.05 $2.05
53.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$6.04 $6.04
31.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$6.80 $6.80
19.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.05 $1.05
11.43%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$4.35 $4.35
21.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$4.42 $4.42
44.80%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$6.08 $6.08
-16.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$12.79 $12.79
46.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$11.83 $11.83
58.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$16.16 $16.16
41.58%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$5.23 $5.23
15.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.63 $1.63
19.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$4.38 $4.38
25.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$4.74 $4.74
37.55%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.76 $2.76
26.45%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.66 $2.66
23.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.50 $2.50
12.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.24 $2.24
15.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$10.29 $10.29
21.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$15.04 $15.04
-1.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.99 $1.99
110.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$3.14 $3.14
84.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.29 $2.29
33.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$57.9 $57.9
83.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.40 $3.40
-24.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.51 $1.51
8.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$27.65 $27.65
8.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.22 $1.22
15.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$24.7K $24.7K
48.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$29.3K $29.3K
-9.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$224 $224
37.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$58.5 $58.5
18.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$70.2 $70.2
22.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$35.77 $35.77
113.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$13.82 $13.82
30.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$1,382 $1,382
98.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$24.9K $24.9K
22.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$53.3 $53.3
48.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$44.72 $44.72
21.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$88.8 $88.8
42.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$113 $113
40.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$1,540 $1,540
62.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$1,255 $1,255
54.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$2,508 $2,508
104.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$2,110 $2,110
67.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$3,303 $3,303
123.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$3,240 $3,240
54.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Brookings, OR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.57
4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brookings, OR: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Brookings, OR
$1.3K 35.2% $683
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Brookings, OR
$416 24% $131
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Brookings, OR
$353 23.8% $110
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Brookings, OR
$331 18.6% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Brookings, OR
$135 28.4% $54
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Brookings, OR
$78 39.5% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Brookings, OR
$63 43.6% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,540 in Brookings, OR. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $75 in Brookings, OR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $416 – making Brookings, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Brookings, OR
🕒 Local time
18:03 6:03 PM
18:03 6:03 PM
Same time as Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
18,802
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Brookings, OR 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Brookings, OR

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 Brookings, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brookings, OR cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,947 in Brookings, OR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Brookings, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,540 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Brookings, OR. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,382 in Brookings, OR. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Seattle, WA or in Brookings, OR?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,632 in Brookings, OR. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Seattle, WA or Brookings, OR more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Brookings, OR – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Brookings, OR is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 30% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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