Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Dearborn, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Dearborn, MI: $2,623 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Dearborn, MI
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Dearborn, MI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Dearborn, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Dearborn, MI

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 Dearborn, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,623 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Dearborn, MI $2,623

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,775 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Dearborn, MI $3,775

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,927 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Dearborn, MI $4,927

Seattle, WA costs about 43% more than Dearborn, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Dearborn, MI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Dearborn, MI by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$18.09 $18.09

31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$63.4 $63.4

55.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.10 $11.10

34.59%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.55 $5.55

22.34%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.58 $2.58

25.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.96 $1.96

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.06 $6.06

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.17 $8.17

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.88 $0.88

32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.37 $3.37

56.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.15 $4.15

38.80%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.81 $3.81

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$13.74 $13.74

47.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.12 $11.12

61.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$16.27 $16.27

43.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.09 $5.09

16.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.61 $1.61

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.11 $4.11

30.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.77 $3.77

74.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.56 $2.56

32.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.98 $2.98

-3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.29 $2.29

26.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.17 $10.17

19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.46 $2.46

78.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.48 $3.48

69.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.94 $1.94

52.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$63.3 $63.3

72.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.74 $2.74

-8.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.37 $1.37

25.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$23.76 $23.76

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.09 $1.09

38.53%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$33.6K $33.6K

7.55%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.25%

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

$289 $289

$215 $215

34.10%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$60.4 $60.4

14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$68.4 $68.4

24.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$39.36 $39.36

76.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$12.60 $12.60

42.62%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,235 $1,235

128.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$31.7K $31.7K

38.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$60.2 $60.2

51.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$41.19 $41.19

33.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.5 $95.5

33.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$119 $119

36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,568 $1,568

64.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,292 $1,292

50.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,612 $2,612

95.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,085 $2,085

69.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$1,897 $1,897

287.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$1,925 $1,925

155.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,749 $3,749

72.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.49

4.78%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dearborn, MI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Dearborn, MI

$1.3K 49.3% 33.5% $650

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Dearborn, MI

$390 14.9% 28.3% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Dearborn, MI

$344 13.1% 22.3% $99

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Dearborn, MI

$309 11.8% 22.5% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Dearborn, MI

$142 5.4% 27.4% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Dearborn, MI

$81 3.1% 39% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Dearborn, MI

$65 2.5% 38.7% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,568 in Dearborn, MI. 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 72% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $63 in Dearborn, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $390 – making Dearborn, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Dearborn, MI

🕒 Local time

16:02 4:02 PM

19:02 7:02 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

92,382

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Dearborn, MI 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Dearborn, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,935 in Dearborn, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dearborn, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,235 in Dearborn, MI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,623 in Dearborn, MI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dearborn, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dearborn, MI. 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.