Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Duluth, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Duluth, MN: $2,214 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 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
107

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, MN
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Duluth, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,214

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Duluth, MN

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 Duluth, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,214 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Duluth, MN $2,214

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,542 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Duluth, MN $3,542

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,870 in Duluth, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Duluth, MN $4,870

Seattle, WA costs about 71% more than Duluth, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Duluth, MN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Duluth, MN by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.10 $20.10

25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$66.4 $66.4

51.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.87 $9.87

49.54%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.32 $5.32

22.18%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.57 $2.57

24.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.90 $1.90

65.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.59 $6.59

20.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.97 $7.97

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.84 $0.84

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.97 $2.97

78.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.80 $3.80

68.42%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.63 $3.63

39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.37 $10.37

80.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.13 $10.13

84.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.40 $19.40

17.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.22 $5.22

16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.55 $1.55

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.79 $2.79

97.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.41 $4.41

47.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.09 $1.09

220.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.20 $2.20

49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.11 $1.11

152.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.40 $1.40

84.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.11 $13.11

-4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.23 $16.23

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.77 $1.77

136.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.79 $2.79

107.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.93 $1.93

58.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$39.81 $39.81

166.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.14 $5.14

-49.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.53 $1.53

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.18 $24.18

24.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.90 $0.90

56.67%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$22.8K $22.8K

61.24%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

13.27%

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

$308 $308

$180 $180

70.89%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$43.17 $43.17

60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$67.5 $67.5

27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$63.4 $63.4

20.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$25.84 $25.84

37.38%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.55 $11.55

56.02%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,032 $1,032

165.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$9,973 $9,973

206.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$57.8 $57.8

36.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.26 $44.26

22.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$98.8 $98.8

28.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$86.3 $86.3

84.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,283 $1,283

95.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$974 $974

99.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,304 $2,304

122.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,132 $2,132

66.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,231 $2,231

230.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,161 $2,161

131.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,747 $3,747

72.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.19

11.31%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Duluth, MN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Duluth, MN

$974 44% 49.8% $965

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Duluth, MN

$352 15.9% 35.6% $195

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Duluth, MN

$291 13.1% 37.2% $172

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Duluth, MN

$321 14.5% 21% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Duluth, MN

$129 5.8% 31.5% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Duluth, MN

$60 2.7% 53.2% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Duluth, MN

$86 3.9% 23.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,283 in Duluth, MN. 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 73% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $66 in Duluth, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $352 – making Duluth, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Duluth, MN

🕒 Local time

16:20 4:20 PM

18:20 6:20 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

86,265

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Duluth, MN 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

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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 Duluth, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,321 in Duluth, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duluth, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,283 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,214 in Duluth, MN. That makes Duluth, MN about 42% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Duluth, MN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Duluth, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,214, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Duluth, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duluth, MN – 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 Duluth, MN. 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.