Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Burlington, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Burlington, IA: $1,769 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 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
86

Cost of Living Index in Burlington, IA
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Burlington, IA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Burlington, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,769

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Burlington, IA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $1,769 in Burlington, IA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Burlington, IA $1,769

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $2,675 in Burlington, IA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Burlington, IA $2,675

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $3,580 in Burlington, IA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Burlington, IA $3,580

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 114% more expensive than in Burlington, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Burlington, IA 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$11.35 $11.35

116.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$59.1 $59.1

66.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$8.84 $8.84

67.31%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.74 $4.74

37.55%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$1.95 $1.95

65.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.02 $2.02

56.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.41 $3.41

130.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.58 $4.58

75.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.81 $0.81

49.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.82 $2.82

82.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.34 $4.34

39.40%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.92 $2.92

67.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.37 $11.37

68.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.93 $11.93

58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.20 $14.20

64.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.02 $4.02

49.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.98 $1.98

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.61 $4.61

13.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.65 $4.65

41.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.74 $2.74

32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.60 $2.60

27.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.54 $1.54

80.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.06 $2.06

21.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.16 $8.16

49.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$16.29 $16.29

-8.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.89 $1.89

123.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.27 $2.27

154.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.94 $1.94

52.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$15.76 $15.76

574.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.67 $4.67

-43.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.02 $1.02

68.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$22.19 $22.19

33.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.94 $0.94

58.51%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.7K $22.7K

57.92%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.0K $25.0K

5.05%

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

$302 $302

$184 $184

63.95%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$47.16 $47.16

48.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$59.2 $59.2

44.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.42 $42.42

83.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$11.92 $11.92

49.66%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,210 $1,210

145.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$13.3K $13.3K

135.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$44.72 $44.72

71.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$30.53 $30.53

77.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.0 $87.0

47.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$37.90 $37.90

333.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$754 $754

224.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$707 $707

175.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,172 $1,172

304.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,280 $1,280

170.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,026 $1,026

617.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,033 $1,033

396.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,446 $4,446

46.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.54

5.35%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Burlington, IA

$707 40% 63.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Burlington, IA

$366 20.7% 32.9% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Burlington, IA

$290 16.4% 36.5% $167

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Burlington, IA

$216 12.2% 45.9% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Burlington, IA

$90 5.1% 52.7% $100

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Burlington, IA

$33 1.9% 74.2% $96

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Burlington, IA

$66 3.7% 41.6% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $754 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 46% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $59.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $366 per month, with Burlington, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Burlington, IA

🕒 Local time

18:00 6:00 PM

20:00 8:00 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

44,743

💱 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 Burlington, IA 2,580 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Burlington, IA

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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $754 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,210 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,769 in Burlington, IA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burlington, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,769 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burlington, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Burlington, IA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.