Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Colorado Springs, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO: $2,721 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Colorado Springs, CO

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 Colorado Springs, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Colorado Springs, CO $2,721

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,253 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Colorado Springs, CO $4,253

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,786 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Colorado Springs, CO $5,786

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 39% more expensive than in Colorado Springs, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Colorado Springs, CO 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.23 $20.23

25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$85.4 $85.4

18.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.77 $12.77

15.58%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.49 $5.49

18.40%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.63 $2.63

22.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.27 $2.27

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.90 $5.90

35.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.09 $7.09

14.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.96 $0.96

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.30 $3.30

60.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.33 $4.33

47.81%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.95 $5.95

-14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.64 $14.64

27.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.42 $13.42

39.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.57 $19.57

16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.61 $5.61

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 $1.37

42.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.38 $4.38

25.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.77 $4.77

36.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.51 $2.51

39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.61 $2.61

26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.31 $2.31

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.98 $1.98

30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.38 $10.38

20.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$19.36 $19.36

-23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.32 $3.32

26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.73 $4.73

22.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.79 $1.79

70.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$63.1 $63.1

67.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.63 $3.63

-28.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.42 $1.42

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.70 $24.70

21.94%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

30.00%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.83%

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

$308 $308

$200 $200

54.01%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$95.6 $95.6

-27.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$103 $103

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$44.11 $44.11

73.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$33.69 $33.69

5.37%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.71 $14.71

22.50%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,558 $1,558

76.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.3K $24.3K

25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$58.5 $58.5

35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$34.64 $34.64

56.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$80.8 $80.8

56.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

57.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,698 $1,698

47.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,274 $1,274

52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,874 $2,874

78.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,573 $2,573

37.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,798 $2,798

163.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,283 $2,283

119.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,387 $4,387

47.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.3K 46.8% 34.3% $665

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Colorado Springs, CO

$442 16.2% 19.3% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 14.6% 14% $65

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Colorado Springs, CO

$329 12.1% 18.9% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Colorado Springs, CO

$124 4.5% 34.5% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 3% 37.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Colorado Springs, CO

$74 2.7% 34.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 47% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $85 in Colorado Springs, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $442 per month, with Colorado Springs, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🕒 Local time

19:19 7:19 PM

20:19 8:19 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

478,961

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Colorado Springs, CO 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Colorado Springs, CO

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 Colorado Springs, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colorado Springs, CO is about 28% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Colorado Springs, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.