Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Denver, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Denver, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $3,124 in Denver, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $4,635 in Denver, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $6,146 in Denver, CO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 23% more expensive than in Denver, CO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Denver, CO 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$19.73 $19.73

25.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$90.7 $90.7

9.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$12.00 $12.00

25.75%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$6.05 $6.05

9.42%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.87 $2.87

9.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.20 $2.20

35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.15 $7.15

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.80 $7.80

0.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.45 $5.45

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.37 $7.37

-13.16%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.28 $5.28

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$16.06 $16.06

33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$17.13 $17.13

8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$17.58 $17.58

31.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$5.01 $5.01

15.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.09 $2.09

-10.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.92 $4.92

9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.19 $5.19

21.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.57 $2.57

47.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.85 $2.85

14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.26 $2.26

26.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.53 $2.53

7.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.44 $10.44

35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$19.54 $19.54

-22.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.75 $2.75

58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.64 $3.64

57.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.68 $2.68

14.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$87.1 $87.1

26.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.43 $3.43

-25.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.80 $1.80

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$30.22 $30.22

-1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.06 $1.06

30.19%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.4K $35.4K

2.80%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.72%

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

$296 $296

$162 $162

82.95%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$78.2 $78.2

-8.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$69.1 $69.1

27.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$57.7 $57.7

41.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

$24.94 $24.94

43.14%

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$14.76 $14.76

24.19%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$2,395 $2,395

28.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$33.2K $33.2K

-7.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$70.5 $70.5

9.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$45.99 $45.99

17.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$108 $108

18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$130 $130

26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$2,001 $2,001

20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,672 $1,672

15.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$3,187 $3,187

49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,706 $2,706

32.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$5,598 $5,598

32.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$3,758 $3,758

34.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$4,314 $4,314

46.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.45

-0.47%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Denver, CO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $2,001 in Denver, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $91.0 in Denver, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $499 per month, with Denver, CO cheaper across the board.

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 Denver, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $2,001 in Denver, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Denver, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Denver, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,124 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Denver, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Denver, CO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Denver, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.