Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Dickinson, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Dickinson, ND: $2,616 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Dickinson, ND
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Dickinson, ND Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Dickinson, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Dickinson, ND

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 Dickinson, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,616 in Dickinson, ND.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Dickinson, ND $2,616

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,852 in Dickinson, ND.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Dickinson, ND $3,852

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,089 in Dickinson, ND.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Dickinson, ND $5,089

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 44% more expensive than in Dickinson, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Dickinson, ND 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.78 $19.78

20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$80.8 $80.8

22.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.49 $12.49

19.62%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.40 $5.40

25.74%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.03 $3.03

6.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.28 $2.28

38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.61 $6.61

24.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.58 $7.58

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 $1.05

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.49 $3.49

51.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.86 $2.86

101.40%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.21 $4.21

16.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.66 $12.66

59.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.77 $11.77

52.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.21 $17.21

35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.21 $5.21

14.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.65 $1.65

14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.43 $2.43

120.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.66 $4.66

40.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.76 $2.76

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.92 $2.92

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.21 $2.21

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.20 $2.20

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.41 $9.41

29.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.80 $14.80

2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.01 $2.01

117.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.50 $3.50

68.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.75 $1.75

69.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.7 $60.7

80.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.42 $3.42

-26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.84 $1.84

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$33.58 $33.58

-11.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.14 $1.14

32.46%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$32.0K $32.0K

12.94%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-4.59%

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

$289 $289

$219 $219

32.11%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$54.7 $54.7

26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$67.5 $67.5

25.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$44.41 $44.41

56.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.20 $14.20

26.55%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,339 $1,339

110.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

106.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$52.5 $52.5

73.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$36.18 $36.18

52.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$82.6 $82.6

53.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$121 $121

33.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$917 $917

181.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,273 $1,273

52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,551 $2,551

99.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,135 $2,135

65.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$1,567 $1,567

369.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$1,593 $1,593

208.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dickinson, ND: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Dickinson, ND

$1.3K 48.7% 34.5% $670

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Dickinson, ND

$387 14.8% 28.8% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Dickinson, ND

$341 13% 23% $102

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Dickinson, ND

$330 12.6% 17.3% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Dickinson, ND

$132 5% 32.9% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Dickinson, ND

$80 3.1% 39.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Dickinson, ND

$73 2.8% 30.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $917 in Dickinson, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $81 in Dickinson, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $387 per month, with Dickinson, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Dickinson, ND

🕒 Local time

18:01 6:01 PM

19:01 7:01 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

15,636

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Dickinson, ND 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Dickinson, ND

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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 Dickinson, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dickinson, ND is about 30% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,642 in Seattle, WA and $3,923 in Dickinson, ND 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $917 in Dickinson, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Dickinson, ND – a meal for two runs $81 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Dickinson, ND 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.

Expats usually find Dickinson, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.