Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Durham, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Durham, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,533 in Seattle, WA versus $2,632 in Durham, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $3,805 in Durham, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,565 in Seattle, WA versus $4,977 in Durham, NC.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 34% more expensive than Durham, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 165% above, Durham, NC 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.41 $25.41

$14.86 $14.86

71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$71.1 $71.1

70.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 $13.81

$9.90 $9.90

39.49%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$4.78 $4.78

22.59%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.22 $2.22

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.84 $1.84

30.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.15 $5.15

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$6.66 $6.66

23.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.93 $0.93

50.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.80 $3.80

28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.70 $3.70

40.00%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.66 $4.66

47.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.93 $24.93

$9.05 $9.05

175.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$12.62 $12.62

24.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$15.85 $15.85

26.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$5.72 $5.72

5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.19 $1.19

138.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.89 $3.89

38.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$3.49 $3.49

91.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.65 $2.65

18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.75 $2.75

34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.99 $1.99

40.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.99 $1.99

33.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$9.91 $9.91

14.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 $15.53

$14.95 $14.95

3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.71 $1.71

67.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.29 $4.29

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.95 $1.95

42.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 $97.0

$24.88 $24.88

289.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.06 $2.06

26.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.53 $1.53

9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$22.09 $22.09

34.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.83 $0.83

37.35%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$28.9K $28.9K

15.57%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.7K $25.7K

2.43%

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

$263 $263

$159 $159

64.97%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$53.4 $53.4

14.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$76.2 $76.2

-2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.7 $79.7

$39.43 $39.43

102.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.05 $41.05

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 $15.81

$11.94 $11.94

32.41%

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

$2,289 $2,289

$1,299 $1,299

76.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.5K $30.5K

-2.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$53.5 $53.5

27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$34.45 $34.45

51.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$78.3 $78.3

49.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$119 $119

16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 $2,377

$1,879 $1,879

26.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 $1,874

$1,421 $1,421

31.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$2,571 $2,571

84.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,575 $3,575

$2,363 $2,363

51.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,026 $8,026

$2,730 $2,730

193.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,203 $5,203

$2,735 $2,735

90.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,621 $6,621

$4,523 $4,523

46.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.54

-1.83%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 14, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,377 in Seattle, WA and $1,879 in Durham, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $71.0 in Durham, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $540 vs $380 per month, with Durham, NC cheaper across the board.

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 Durham, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durham, NC wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durham, NC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 46% more on average, 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: $2,377 in Seattle, WA versus $1,879 in Durham, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Durham, NC runs roughly 290% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,289 in Seattle, WA versus $1,299 in Durham, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Durham, NC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,632 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durham, NC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Durham, NC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Durham, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.