Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Cambridge, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Cambridge, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $4,414 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $5,700 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,986 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 18% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Cambridge, MA 229% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$17.08 $17.08

45.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$98.4 $98.4

19.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$12.10 $12.10

13.80%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.51 $5.51

3.63%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$3.07 $3.07

-0.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.35 $2.35

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.12 $8.12

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.98 $7.98

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.09 $1.09

23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.06 $4.06

24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.53 $6.53

-17.46%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.80 $4.80

42.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$15.30 $15.30

63.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$13.41 $13.41

18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$20.86 $20.86

-1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.86 $6.86

-10.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.87 $1.87

50.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.36 $6.36

-13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.30 $6.30

6.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.21 $3.21

-1.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.46 $3.46

10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.40 $2.40

12.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.54 $2.54

3.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$13.50 $13.50

-13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$16.45 $16.45

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.70 $1.70

72.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$5.61 $5.61

-24.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.41 $2.41

17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$88.8 $88.8

12.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.57 $2.57

1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.77 $1.77

-2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$27.63 $27.63

9.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.92 $0.92

29.35%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$30.0K $30.0K

8.92%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

3.34%

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

$263 $263

$157 $157

67.56%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$52.9 $52.9

15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$55.9 $55.9

35.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$101 $101

-20.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$30.11 $30.11

32.48%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$15.36 $15.36

5.92%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$2,743 $2,743

-16.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$27.4K $27.4K

6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$65.4 $65.4

4.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$44.25 $44.25

17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$102 $102

13.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$145 $145

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,888 $2,888

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$2,827 $2,827

-34.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$5,029 $5,029

-7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,551 $3,551

-2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$5,085 $5,085

52.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$5,047 $5,047

3.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,341 $6,341

4.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.43

-0.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $2,888 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $98.0 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $484 per month, with Cambridge, MA cheaper across the board.

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 Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seattle, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 4% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $2,888 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge, MA pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $118 versus $98.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Seattle, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,598 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seattle, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Cambridge, MA 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 Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.