Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Burnsville, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Burnsville, MN: $2,552 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Burnsville, MN
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Burnsville, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Burnsville, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Burnsville, MN

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 Burnsville, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,552 in Burnsville, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Burnsville, MN $2,552

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,598 in Burnsville, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Burnsville, MN $3,598

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,644 in Burnsville, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Burnsville, MN $4,644

Seattle, WA costs about 48% more than Burnsville, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Burnsville, MN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Burnsville, MN by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.47 $15.47

58.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$67.6 $67.6

45.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.83 $9.83

50.46%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.01 $5.01

30.14%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.79 $2.79

15.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.45 $2.45

29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.06 $6.06

29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.53 $7.53

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.95 $0.95

27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.93 $3.93

30.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.81 $3.81

58.79%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.70 $3.70

31.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$9.72 $9.72

97.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.39 $12.39

52.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.26 $19.26

21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.93 $4.93

21.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.46 $1.46

32.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.35 $4.35

20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.29 $4.29

53.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.90 $3.90

-7.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.74 $3.74

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.59 $2.59

7.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.69 $1.69

48.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.91 $12.91

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$8.07 $8.07

83.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.68 $1.68

151.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.46 $3.46

66.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.04 $2.04

44.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$83.9 $83.9

26.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.51 $2.51

5.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.60 $1.60

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$23.60 $23.60

25.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.5K $27.5K

30.54%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.60%

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

$302 $302

$232 $232

30.32%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$50.4 $50.4

39.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$65.2 $65.2

30.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$45.48 $45.48

71.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.94 $12.94

37.87%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,456 $1,456

104.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$28.2K $28.2K

11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$45.06 $45.06

69.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.5 $50.5

7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$81.4 $81.4

57.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$112 $112

46.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,444 $1,444

69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,240 $1,240

57.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,014 $2,014

135.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,818 $1,818

90.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,087 $3,087

138.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,227 $2,227

130.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,752 $3,752

73.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.61

4.24%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Burnsville, MN: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Burnsville, MN

$1.2K 48.6% 36.3% $707

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Burnsville, MN

$381 14.9% 30.1% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Burnsville, MN

$347 13.6% 24.1% $110

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Burnsville, MN

$280 11% 30% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Burnsville, MN

$130 5.1% 31.6% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Burnsville, MN

$103 4% 20.7% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Burnsville, MN

$71 2.8% 37.1% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,444 in Burnsville, MN. 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 73% 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 $68.0 in Burnsville, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $381 – making Burnsville, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Burnsville, MN

🕒 Local time

22:23 10:23 PM

00:23 12:23 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

60,306

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Burnsville, MN 2,250 km ≈ 3 h 15 min 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 Burnsville, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 48%, 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 $3,828 in Burnsville, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 43% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $68.0 in Burnsville, MN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,552 in Burnsville, MN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burnsville, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Burnsville, MN. 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.