Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and College Station, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and College Station, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,087 in College Station, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,152 in College Station, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $4,217 in College Station, TX.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 84% more expensive than in College Station, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, College Station, TX 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$14.95 $14.95

65.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$76.7 $76.7

29.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.35 $10.35

45.80%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.61 $5.61

18.00%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.81 $2.81

11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.72 $1.72

73.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$4.96 $4.96

63.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.30 $7.30

7.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.81 $0.81

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.29 $3.29

58.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.81 $3.81

67.98%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$2.83 $2.83

73.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$11.81 $11.81

81.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$9.82 $9.82

89.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$13.03 $13.03

76.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$6.28 $6.28

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.57 $1.57

19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.49 $6.49

-17.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.68 $4.68

34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.00 $4.00

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.98 $2.98

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.86 $1.86

54.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.86 $1.86

45.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.49 $8.49

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$13.77 $13.77

9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.70 $1.70

156.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.75 $3.75

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.97 $0.97

215.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$20.28 $20.28

442.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$9.93 $9.93

-74.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.83 $1.83

-9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$59.0 $59.0

-49.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.87 $0.87

58.62%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.5K $36.5K

-0.19%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

-1.52%

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

$296 $296

$177 $177

67.76%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$36.47 $36.47

95.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$51.9 $51.9

69.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$25.67 $25.67

217.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

$17.01 $17.01

109.88%

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$11.38 $11.38

61.07%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$879 $879

249.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$18.0K $18.0K

69.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$58.3 $58.3

32.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$38.71 $38.71

39.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$83.2 $83.2

53.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$124 $124

32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,166 $1,166

107.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$941 $941

105.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$1,819 $1,819

161.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$1,587 $1,587

125.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,162 $2,162

242.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,167 $2,167

133.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$4,152 $4,152

52.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.03

6.47%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for College Station, TX: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,166 in College Station, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 52% 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: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $77.0 in College Station, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $373 per month, with College Station, TX 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 College Station, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

College Station, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making College Station, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,166 in College Station, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in College Station, TX runs roughly 442% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $879 in College Station, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,087 in College Station, TX versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in College Station, TX but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes College Station, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but College Station, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,087 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes College Station, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find College Station, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.