Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Duncan BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Duncan BC: $2,161 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 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
103

Cost of Living Index in Duncan BC
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Duncan BC Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Duncan BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,161

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Duncan BC

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 Duncan BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,161 in Duncan BC.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Duncan BC $2,161

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,358 in Duncan BC.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Duncan BC $3,358

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,555 in Duncan BC.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Duncan BC $4,555

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 74% more expensive than in Duncan BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Duncan BC 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$17.85 CA$25.11

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$70.8 CA$99.5

39.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.56 CA$14.85

41.48%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$3.95 CA$5.55

71.90%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.15 CA$3.03

50.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.70 CA$2.40

85.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.49 CA$7.72

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.78 CA$8.13

36.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.64 CA$2.31

-28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.65 CA$3.72

99.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.40 CA$6.18

30.91%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.08 CA$5.74

19.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$11.96 CA$16.82

69.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$13.19 CA$18.55

36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$14.02 CA$19.72

66.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.91 CA$5.50

51.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.39 CA$1.95

35.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.67 CA$5.16

45.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.98 CA$5.60

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.77 CA$3.90

22.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.95 CA$4.14

-2.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.54 CA$3.57

13.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.57 CA$2.21

54.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.72 CA$19.29

-11.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.71 CA$16.46

30.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.54 CA$3.57

72.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.84 CA$3.99

107.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.83 CA$2.58

61.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$39.92 CA$56.1

173.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.62 CA$3.68

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.63 CA$2.29

5.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.31 CA$42.63

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.23 CA$1.73

22.76%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$26.4K CA$37.1K

37.16%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$21.2K CA$29.8K

21.27%

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

$289 $289

$87.4 CA$123

230.26%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$35.93 CA$50.5

92.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$51.5 CA$72.4

64.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$61.3 CA$86.2

13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$12.53 CA$17.63

43.42%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,082 CA$1,522

160.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$18.6K CA$26.1K

136.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$57.7 CA$81.1

58.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$33.54 CA$47.17

64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.6 CA$129

38.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$92.0 CA$129

76.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,321 CA$1,858

95.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,074 CA$1,510

80.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,553 CA$3,590

99.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,019 CA$2,840

75.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,345 CA$6,110

69.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$3,638 CA$5,116

35.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,096 CA$4,353

108.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

4.24

60.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Duncan BC

$1.1K 49.7% 44.7% $869

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Duncan BC

$368 17% 32.3% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Duncan BC

$175 8.1% 60.5% $268

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Duncan BC

$276 12.8% 30.8% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Duncan BC

$124 5.7% 36.9% $72

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Duncan BC

$58 2.7% 56.1% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Duncan BC

$86 4% 18.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,321 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $71 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $368 per month, with Duncan BC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇨🇦 Duncan BC

🕒 Local time

06:06 6:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

22,199

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.633 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 CAD (1 CAD = 0.633 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Seattle, WA Duncan BC 170 km

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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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncan BC is about 43% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Seattle, WA is about 2.1 times higher, 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 $1,321 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duncan BC – a meal for two runs $71 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,161 in Duncan BC versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Duncan BC but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Duncan BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Duncan BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.