Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Brunswick, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Brunswick, ME: $2,678 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Brunswick, ME
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Brunswick, ME Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Brunswick, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,678

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Brunswick, ME

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,678 in Brunswick, ME.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Brunswick, ME $2,678

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,022 in Brunswick, ME.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Brunswick, ME $4,022

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,366 in Brunswick, ME.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Brunswick, ME $5,366

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 41% more expensive than in Brunswick, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Brunswick, ME 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.46 $25.46

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.94 $14.94

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.36 $6.36

2.20%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.13 $3.13

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.39 $2.39

31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.92 $7.92

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.16 $8.16

-0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.01 $1.01

15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.23 $3.23

64.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.44 $3.44

86.05%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.45 $2.45

106.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.95 $12.95

44.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.24 $10.24

82.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.96 $15.96

43.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.65 $4.65

30.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.47 $1.47

32.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.53 $4.53

21.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.40 $6.40

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.32 $3.32

5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.63 $3.63

-9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.44 $2.44

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.93 $1.93

33.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.97 $8.97

39.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.13 $13.13

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.38 $1.38

203.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.94 $1.94

198.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.99 $1.99

53.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.7 $59.7

77.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.02 $2.02

27.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.52 $1.52

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$11.15 $11.15

170.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.04 $1.04

35.58%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

37.08%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.90%

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

$308 $308

$158 $158

95.23%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$68.0 $68.0

1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$78.1 $78.1

10.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$35.42 $35.42

115.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.14 $14.14

27.44%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,242 $1,242

121.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$26.6K $26.6K

14.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.0 $52.0

52.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$81.5 $81.5

-33.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 $103

23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$132 $132

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,557 $1,557

61.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,292 $1,292

50.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,525 $2,525

102.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,076 $2,076

70.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,959 $2,959

149.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,310 $2,310

116.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,782 $4,782

35.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.5

6.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brunswick, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Brunswick, ME

$1.3K 48.2% 33.4% $647

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Brunswick, ME

$373 13.9% 31.8% $174

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Brunswick, ME

$304 11.3% 34.4% $159

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Brunswick, ME

$403 15% 0.8% $3.4

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Brunswick, ME

$166 6.2% 12% $23

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Brunswick, ME

$77 2.9% 40.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Brunswick, ME

$64 2.4% 43.4% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,557 in Brunswick, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 35% 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 $118 in Brunswick, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $373, with Brunswick, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Brunswick, ME

🕒 Local time

09:07 9:07 AM

12:07 12:07 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

16,287

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Brunswick, ME 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

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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 Brunswick, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brunswick, ME is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,557 in Brunswick, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,678 in Brunswick, ME – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brunswick, ME runs roughly 44% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Brunswick, ME is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Brunswick, ME wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.