Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Buckley, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Buckley, WA: $2,432 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 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
118

Cost of Living Index in Buckley, WA
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Buckley, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Buckley, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,432

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Buckley, WA

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,432 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Buckley, WA $2,432

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,581 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Buckley, WA $3,581

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,730 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Buckley, WA $4,730

Seattle, WA costs about 56% more than Buckley, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Buckley, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Buckley, WA by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$25.29 $25.29

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$65.7 $65.7

49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.37 $12.37

19.56%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.27 $6.27

3.99%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.93 $2.93

10.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.68 $1.68

88.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.11 $7.11

10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.06 $7.06

13.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.75 $0.75

61.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.21 $2.21

132.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.23 $3.23

87.31%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.01 $4.01

21.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.29 $13.29

44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.86 $8.86

113.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$13.37 $13.37

74.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.25 $3.25

84.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.58 $1.58

22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.90 $2.90

81.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.24 $3.24

102.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.74 $2.74

32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.44 $2.44

35.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.35 $2.35

18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.63 $2.63

-4.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.06 $10.06

21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$7.03 $7.03

110.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.49 $2.49

69.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.33 $2.33

147.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.89 $1.89

56.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$5.08 $5.08

-47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.22 $1.22

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$24.78 $24.78

19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.31 $1.31

13.74%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.84%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.39%

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

$302 $302

$159 $159

90.35%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$69.9 $69.9

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$40.10 $40.10

112.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.32 $40.32

93.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.14 $12.14

46.95%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,428 $1,428

108.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

32.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$27.07 $27.07

182.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$56.1 $56.1

-3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$41.32 $41.32

210.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$65.5 $65.5

150.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,571 $1,571

55.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,290 $1,290

50.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,461 $2,461

92.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,186 $2,186

58.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,699 $2,699

172.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,412 $2,412

112.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$2,544 $2,544

155.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.81

1.17%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Buckley, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Buckley, WA

$1.3K 53.1% 33.7% $656

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Buckley, WA

$322 13.2% 41% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Buckley, WA

$269 11% 41.3% $189

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Buckley, WA

$383 15.7% 4.2% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Buckley, WA

$85 3.5% 55.1% $105

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Buckley, WA

$19 * 0.8% 85.5% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Buckley, WA

$65 2.7% 43.1% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,571 in Buckley, WA. 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 156% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $66.0 in Buckley, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $322 – making Buckley, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Buckley, WA

🕒 Local time

05:34 5:34 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

5,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Buckley, WA 54 km

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Buckley, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,648 in Buckley, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $66.0 in Buckley, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,432 in Buckley, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Buckley, WA – 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 Buckley, WA. 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.