Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,898 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Dallas, TX

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 Dallas, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,898 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Dallas, TX $2,898

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,315 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Dallas, TX $4,315

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,733 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Dallas, TX $5,733

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Dallas, TX by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.61 $20.61

22.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$91.3 $91.3

10.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.09 $12.09

22.08%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.31 $6.31

3.01%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.24 $3.24

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.36 $2.36

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.80 $7.80

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.79 $7.79

4.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.21 $3.21

65.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.83 $4.83

32.51%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.69 $4.69

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.97 $12.97

44.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.32 $11.32

65.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.41 $18.41

24.28%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.97 $5.97

1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.00 $5.00

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.23 $4.23

54.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.28 $2.28

53.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.19 $3.19

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.02 $2.02

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.93 $2.93

-11.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.16 $10.16

22.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.24 $16.24

-8.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.55 $3.55

18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.59 $4.59

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.94 $2.94

3.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$126 $126

-16.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.05 $3.05

-15.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.78 $1.78

-7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$23.84 $23.84

26.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.6K $36.6K

0.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$28.0K $28.0K

-5.05%

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

$308 $308

$198 $198

55.36%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.7 $58.7

17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$65.1 $65.1

32.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$57.3 $57.3

33.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$20.77 $20.77

70.92%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.09 $15.09

19.42%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,028 $2,028

35.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.0K $24.0K

27.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$64.7 $64.7

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$49.46 $49.46

9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$122 $122

3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$137 $137

16.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,817 $1,817

38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,389 $1,389

39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,084 $4,084

25.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,342 $2,342

51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$8,624 $8,624

-14.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,953 $2,953

69.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,493 $4,493

44.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.86

0.44%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48% 28.3% $549

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Dallas, TX

$427 14.8% 21.9% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Dallas, TX

$322 11.1% 30.5% $141

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Dallas, TX

$354 12.2% 12.9% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Dallas, TX

$168 5.8% 11% $21

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Dallas, TX

$150 5.2% 16.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Dallas, TX

$87 3% 22.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,817 in Dallas, TX. 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 44% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $91 in Dallas, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $427 – making Dallas, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🕒 Local time

01:24 1:24 AM

02:24 2:24 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

1,302,638

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Dallas, TX 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Dallas, TX

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 Dallas, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Dallas, TX, 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 $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,347 in Dallas, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dallas, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,817 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,028 in Dallas, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,898 in Dallas, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dallas, TX costs $2,898 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dallas, TX. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.