Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cleveland, OH: $2,437 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 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 Cleveland, OH
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Cleveland, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Cleveland, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,437

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,744 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,437 in Cleveland, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,744
Cleveland, OH $2,437

A couple spends around $5,703 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,635 in Cleveland, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,703
Cleveland, OH $3,635

A family of three spends $7,661 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,834 in Cleveland, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,661
Cleveland, OH $4,834

Seattle, WA costs about 54% more than Cleveland, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Cleveland, OH sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Cleveland, OH by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$18.22 $18.22

34.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$63.2 $63.2

57.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.96 $10.96

39.60%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.62 $5.62

17.79%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.61 $2.61

24.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.05 $2.05

51.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$5.86 $5.86

32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$7.81 $7.81

1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.87 $0.87

39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.24 $3.24

52.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.50 $4.50

37.11%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$4.46 $4.46

11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

$13.31 $13.31

42.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$12.39 $12.39

50.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$19.91 $19.91

16.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$5.20 $5.20

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.62 $1.62

19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.98 $3.98

30.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$3.86 $3.86

69.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.89 $2.89

25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.28 $3.28

-3.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.18 $2.18

33.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.07 $2.07

14.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$9.90 $9.90

24.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$15.21 $15.21

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.54 $2.54

69.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.55 $3.55

60.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.47 $2.47

23.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$93.6 $93.6

16.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.77 $2.77

-4.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.52 $1.52

14.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$26.22 $26.22

14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.04 $1.04

40.38%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.5K $36.5K

0.65%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.43%

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

$299 $299

$217 $217

38.11%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$65.6 $65.6

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

$74.5 $74.5

21.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

$37.28 $37.28

114.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

$1.98 $1.98

1698.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$13.86 $13.86

25.04%

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

$2,986 $2,986

$1,125 $1,125

165.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$18.4K $18.4K

70.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

$60.8 $60.8

27.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$38.61 $38.61

42.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$98.7 $98.7

27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$117 $117

40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,634 $1,634

47.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,026 $1,026

91.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

$2,951 $2,951

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$1,958 $1,958

81.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$1,644 $1,644

352.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

$1,580 $1,580

217.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$3,689 $3,689

70.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.59

3.95%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cleveland, OH: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

Cleveland, OH

$1K 42.4% 47.8% $937

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

Cleveland, OH

$409 16.9% 24.5% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

Cleveland, OH

$357 14.7% 22.3% $102

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

Cleveland, OH

$310 12.8% 22.9% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

Cleveland, OH

$142 5.9% 25.5% $49

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Cleveland, OH

$114 4.7% 13.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

Cleveland, OH

$65 2.7% 43.3% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,407 in Seattle, WA versus $1,634 in Cleveland, 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 70% 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 $99.0 in Seattle, WA versus $63.0 in Cleveland, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $541 vs $409 – making Cleveland, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Cleveland, OH

🕒 Local time

00:55 12:55 AM

03:55 3:55 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

367,991

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Cleveland, OH 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,616 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,655 in Cleveland, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cleveland, OH, 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 $99.0 in Seattle, WA and $63.0 in Cleveland, OH. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,744 in Seattle, WA and $2,437 in Cleveland, OH. That's a gap of about 54%.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,744 in Seattle, WA and $2,437 in Cleveland, OH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, 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.