Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,299 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,299

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,299 in Des Moines, IA.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Des Moines, IA $2,299

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,459 in Des Moines, IA.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Des Moines, IA $3,459

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,618 in Des Moines, IA.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Des Moines, IA $4,618

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 64% more expensive than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Des Moines, IA 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.89 $19.89

19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$102 $102

-3.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.80 $11.80

26.61%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$6.54 $6.54

3.82%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.97 $2.97

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.47 $2.47

27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.05 $5.05

62.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.65 $5.65

39.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.86 $0.86

36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.01 $3.01

75.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.24 $3.24

77.78%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.88 $3.88

26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$9.40 $9.40

115.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$17.22 $17.22

4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$18.91 $18.91

23.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.25 $5.25

13.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.52 $1.52

24.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.92 $4.92

8.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.71 $3.71

77.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.31 $4.31

-21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.24 $2.24

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.76 $2.76

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.04 $3.04

-20.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.13 $10.13

20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.81 $14.81

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.68 $1.68

160.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.93 $2.93

101.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.71 $1.71

73.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$57.8 $57.8

88.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.99 $1.99

26.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.25 $1.25

37.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$19.83 $19.83

49.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.01 $1.01

49.50%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

34.60%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.57%

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

$289 $289

$191 $191

51.09%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$52.9 $52.9

30.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$77.2 $77.2

9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$33.80 $33.80

105.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$20.24 $20.24

73.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$9.86 $9.86

82.25%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,313 $1,313

114.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$14.6K $14.6K

201.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$77.0 $77.0

18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$56.1 $56.1

-1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 $103

23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$166 $166

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,218 $1,218

111.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$918 $918

111.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,058 $2,058

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,422 $1,422

149.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,418 $2,418

204.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,262 $2,262

117.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,788 $3,788

70.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.57

3.50%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Des Moines, IA

$918 40% 52.7% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Des Moines, IA

$421 18.3% 22.6% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Des Moines, IA

$321 14% 27.4% $121

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Des Moines, IA

$331 14.4% 17% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Des Moines, IA

$181 7.9% 7.8% $15

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.2% 44.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Des Moines, IA

$54 2.3% 49.2% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,218 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 70% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $102 in Des Moines, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $544 vs $421, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

00:18 12:18 AM

02:18 2:18 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

214,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Des Moines, IA 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 70% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,218 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $99 versus $102 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,299 in Des Moines, IA – Des Moines, IA is about 39% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

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.

It comes down to priorities – Des Moines, IA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.