Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Cincinnati, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Cincinnati, OH: $2,284 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,284

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Cincinnati, OH

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 Cincinnati, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Cincinnati, OH $2,284

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,409 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Cincinnati, OH $3,409

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,534 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Cincinnati, OH $4,534

Seattle, WA costs about 66% more than Cincinnati, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Cincinnati, OH sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Cincinnati, OH by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.04 $15.04

68.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$50.3 $50.3

100.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.03 $10.03

47.16%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.07 $5.07

28.21%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.31 $2.31

38.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.67 $1.67

88.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.59 $5.59

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.60 $7.60

6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.88 $0.88

32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.24 $3.24

63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.14 $4.14

54.59%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.09 $4.09

23.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.06 $13.06

43.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.07 $11.07

69.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.30 $16.30

40.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.71 $5.71

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.37 $4.37

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.76 $4.76

36.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.56 $2.56

36.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.14 $3.14

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.02 $2.02

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.92 $1.92

34.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.75 $9.75

28.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.94 $14.94

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.07 $2.07

102.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.96 $2.96

95.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.72 $2.72

12.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$107 $107

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.82 $3.82

-32.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.25 $1.25

31.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.56 $24.56

22.64%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

2.61%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.18%

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

$308 $308

$151 $151

103.10%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$76.8 $76.8

-9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$71.6 $71.6

20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.11 $34.11

124.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$13.79 $13.79

157.43%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.29 $15.29

17.85%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,341 $1,341

104.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$19.1K $19.1K

59.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$45.25 $45.25

74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.81 $44.81

21.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$83.2 $83.2

52.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$110 $110

44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,505 $1,505

66.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,005 $1,005

92.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,024 $3,024

69.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,784 $1,784

98.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,610 $3,610

104.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,016 $2,016

148.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,191 $4,191

54.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 44% 48.1% $933

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Cincinnati, OH

$389 17% 29% $158

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Cincinnati, OH

$300 13.1% 35.2% $163

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$270 11.8% 33.5% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Cincinnati, OH

$127 5.6% 32.5% $61

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.6% 0.8% $1

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Cincinnati, OH

$65 2.8% 42.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,505 in Cincinnati, OH. 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 54% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $50 in Cincinnati, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $389 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

12:06 12:06 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

298,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Cincinnati, OH 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Cincinnati, OH

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 Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,426 in Cincinnati, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cincinnati, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $50 in Cincinnati, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cincinnati, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,284, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Cincinnati, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cincinnati, OH – 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 Cincinnati, OH. 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.