Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, OH: $2,491 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Columbus, OH
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Columbus, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,491

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,491 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Columbus, OH $2,491

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,714 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Columbus, OH $3,714

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,936 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Columbus, OH $4,936

Seattle, WA costs about 52% more than Columbus, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Columbus, OH sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Columbus, OH by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$22.03 $22.03

11.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$77.8 $77.8

26.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.86 $11.86

24.70%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.49 $5.49

18.76%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.54 $2.54

27.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.99 $1.99

59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.87 $5.87

33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.19 $7.19

11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.90 $0.90

34.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.13 $3.13

64.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.27 $5.27

14.80%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.78 $3.78

29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.83 $13.83

38.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$14.55 $14.55

29.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$15.83 $15.83

47.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.42 $6.42

-6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.73 $1.73

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.05 $6.05

-13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.81 $4.81

36.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.84 $2.84

27.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.45 $3.45

-4.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.17 $2.17

28.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.37 $2.37

5.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.06 $10.06

21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$16.46 $16.46

-9.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.12 $2.12

99.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.01 $3.01

91.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.98 $1.98

48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$63.2 $63.2

68.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.92 $2.92

-9.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.30 $1.30

32.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$27.20 $27.20

9.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.00 $1.00

49.00%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$31.0K $31.0K

15.65%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.80%

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

$302 $302

$222 $222

35.70%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$65.4 $65.4

7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$67.8 $67.8

25.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$35.63 $35.63

118.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$41.46 $41.46

-16.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.23 $13.23

34.85%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,610 $1,610

84.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$33.9K $33.9K

-7.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$48.89 $48.89

56.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.71 $41.71

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$80.2 $80.2

59.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$109 $109

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,543 $1,543

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,096 $1,096

77.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,398 $2,398

97.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,839 $1,839

88.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,398 $3,398

116.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,763 $1,763

190.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,995 $3,995

62.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Columbus, OH: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Columbus, OH

$1.1K 44% 43.7% $850

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Columbus, OH

$431 17.3% 21% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Columbus, OH

$356 14.3% 22.2% $102

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Columbus, OH

$340 13.6% 15% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Columbus, OH

$126 5.1% 33.8% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Columbus, OH

$81 3.2% 37.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Columbus, OH

$62 2.5% 45.3% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,543 in Columbus, 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 63% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $78.0 in Columbus, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $431 – making Columbus, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Columbus, OH

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

07:38 7:38 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

905,748

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Columbus, OH 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 52% more than Columbus, OH, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,737 in Columbus, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Columbus, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,491 in Columbus, OH. That's a gap of about 52%.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Columbus, OH. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,491 in Columbus, OH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Columbus, OH costs $2,491 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Columbus, 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.