Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Dover, DE

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, DE: $2,593 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Dover, DE
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Dover, DE Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Dover, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,593

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Dover, DE

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 Dover, DE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,593 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Dover, DE $2,593

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,781 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Dover, DE $3,781

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,970 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Dover, DE $4,970

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Dover, DE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and Dover, DE sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Dover, DE by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$13.16 $13.16

92.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.9 $59.9

68.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.58 $10.58

39.51%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.93 $4.93

31.85%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.31 $2.31

38.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.21 $2.21

42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.96 $4.96

60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.96 $0.96

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.82 $2.82

87.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.66 $2.66

140.60%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.97 $4.97

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.23 $12.23

52.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.54 $14.54

28.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.90 $18.90

21.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.92 $4.92

23.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.12 $1.12

74.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.19 $6.19

-10.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.18 $5.18

25.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.11 $3.11

12.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.02 $2.02

62.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.74 $1.74

60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.51 $2.51

2.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.59 $8.59

45.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.78 $14.78

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.72 $1.72

143.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.99 $4.99

16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.98 $0.98

43.88%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.22%

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

$308 $308

$219 $219

40.65%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$49.94 $49.94

38.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$71.3 $71.3

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$121 $121

-36.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.07 $17.07

5.57%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$687 $687

299.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

42.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$47.92 $47.92

65.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.92 $35.92

51.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$110 $110

15.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$201 $201

-20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,692 $1,692

48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,251 $1,251

54.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,353 $2,353

117.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,110 $2,110

67.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,146 $2,146

243.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,180 $2,180

129.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,760 $5,760

12.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dover, DE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Dover, DE

$1.3K 48.3% 35.5% $687

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Dover, DE

$415 16% 24.2% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Dover, DE

$340 13.1% 26.6% $123

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Dover, DE

$255 9.8% 37.2% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Dover, DE

$177 6.8% 6% $11

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Dover, DE

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Dover, DE

$155 6% 37.5% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,692 in Dover, DE. 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 12% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $60 in Dover, DE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $415 – making Dover, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Dover, DE

🕒 Local time

16:46 4:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

34,735

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Dover, DE 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Dover, DE

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 Dover, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Dover, DE, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,890 in Dover, DE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dover, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,692 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $60 in Dover, DE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,593 in Dover, DE. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dover, DE – 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 Dover, DE. 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.