Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Columbia, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbia, SC: $2,193 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Columbia, SC
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Columbia, SC Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Columbia, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Columbia, SC

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 Columbia, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,193 in Columbia, SC.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Columbia, SC $2,193

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,366 in Columbia, SC.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Columbia, SC $3,366

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,538 in Columbia, SC.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Columbia, SC $4,538

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 73% more expensive than in Columbia, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Columbia, SC 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.80 $19.80

27.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$61.1 $61.1

65.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.97 $11.97

23.31%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.42 $5.42

19.93%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.80 $2.80

14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.18 $2.18

44.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.43 $5.43

46.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.39 $6.39

27.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.84 $0.84

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.53 $2.53

109.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.52 $4.52

41.59%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.03 $4.03

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.49 $10.49

78.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.14 $11.14

68.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.89 $15.89

43.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.26 $5.26

15.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.63 $1.63

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.45 $6.45

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.17 $6.17

5.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.10 $3.10

12.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.36 $4.36

-24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.01 $2.01

39.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.40 $8.40

48.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.62 $15.62

-4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.83 $1.83

128.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.68 $2.68

116.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.98 $1.98

54.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.15 $40.15

163.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.98 $1.98

30.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.59 $1.59

3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$17.89 $17.89

68.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.91 $0.91

54.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

37.24%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.50%

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

$308 $308

$277 $277

10.95%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$60.2 $60.2

14.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$63.8 $63.8

34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.47 $34.47

121.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$18.22 $18.22

94.84%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.22 $15.22

18.40%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,117 $1,117

145.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$22.9K $22.9K

33.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.3 $52.3

51.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.57 $39.57

37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$82.2 $82.2

54.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$114 $114

39.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,430 $1,430

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$832 $832

133.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,198 $3,198

60.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,672 $1,672

111.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,313 $2,313

218.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,668 $1,668

199.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,240 $3,240

99.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.56

5.03%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Columbia, SC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Columbia, SC

$832 37.9% 57.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Columbia, SC

$389 17.7% 28.9% $158

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Columbia, SC

$401 18.3% 13.3% $62

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Columbia, SC

$319 14.6% 21.4% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Columbia, SC

$130 5.9% 31.3% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Columbia, SC

$58 2.6% 55% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Columbia, SC

$65 3% 42.3% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,430 in Columbia, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 100% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $61 in Columbia, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $389 per month, with Columbia, SC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Columbia, SC

🕒 Local time

07:12 7:12 AM

10:12 10:12 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

139,698

💱 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 Columbia, SC 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Columbia, SC

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 Columbia, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, SC is about 42% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 100% 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 $1,430 in Columbia, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Columbia, SC – a meal for two runs $61 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,193 in Columbia, SC versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Columbia, SC but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Columbia, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Columbia, SC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Columbia, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.