Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Defiance, OH: $1,827 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 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
89

Cost of Living Index in Defiance, OH
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Defiance, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Defiance, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,827

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $1,827 in Defiance, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Defiance, OH $1,827

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $2,687 in Defiance, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Defiance, OH $2,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $3,546 in Defiance, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Defiance, OH $3,546

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 107% more expensive than in Defiance, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Defiance, OH 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.71 $15.71

61.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$58.6 $58.6

72.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.71 $11.71

26.05%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.20 $5.20

25.00%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.16 $2.16

48.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.78 $1.78

76.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.07 $6.07

31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.93 $8.93

-8.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.67 $0.67

74.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.14 $2.14

147.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.02 $2.02

216.83%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.87 $3.87

30.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$8.50 $8.50

120.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.14 $11.14

68.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.53 $16.53

38.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.04 $5.04

20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.75 $2.75

100.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.34 $4.34

50.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.59 $2.59

34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.57 $2.57

28.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.75 $1.75

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.42 $2.42

6.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.46 $10.46

19.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.69 $15.69

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.18 $3.18

31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.42 $3.42

69.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.90 $1.90

60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$51.4 $51.4

106.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.98 $2.98

-13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.56 $1.56

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$23.53 $23.53

28.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.00 $1.00

41.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$33.7K $33.7K

9.31%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.10%

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

$308 $308

$141 $141

118.77%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$59.2 $59.2

16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.3 $68.3

26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$39.98 $39.98

91.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$8.21 $8.21

119.49%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,393 $1,393

97.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$7,039 $7,039

334.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$59.0 $59.0

34.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.67 $35.67

52.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$79.3 $79.3

59.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$61.1 $61.1

160.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$747 $747

235.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$687 $687

182.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,019 $1,019

402.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,060 $1,060

234.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,387 $1,387

431.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,369 $1,369

265.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.49

6.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Defiance, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Defiance, OH

$687 37.6% 64.6% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Defiance, OH

$353 19.3% 35.5% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Defiance, OH

$268 14.7% 42.1% $195

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Defiance, OH

$287 15.7% 29.3% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Defiance, OH

$106 5.8% 43.9% $83

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Defiance, OH

$70 3.8% 45.9% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Defiance, OH

$56 3.1% 49.9% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $747 in Defiance, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $59 in Defiance, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $353 per month, with Defiance, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Defiance, OH

🕒 Local time

08:16 8:16 AM

11:16 11:16 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

17,105

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Defiance, OH 3,060 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Defiance, OH

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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 Defiance, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Defiance, OH is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $2,740 in Defiance, OH to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $747 in Defiance, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Defiance, OH runs roughly 52% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,393 in Defiance, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,827 in Defiance, OH versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Defiance, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Defiance, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Defiance, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.