Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and East Chicago, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in East Chicago, IN: $2,605 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 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
126

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,605 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
East Chicago, IN $2,605

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,819 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
East Chicago, IN $3,819

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,034 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
East Chicago, IN $5,034

Seattle, WA costs about 45% more than East Chicago, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and East Chicago, IN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, East Chicago, IN by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$22.32 $22.32

13.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$65.1 $65.1

55.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.87 $11.87

24.35%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.63 $5.63

15.45%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.28 $2.28

40.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.05 $2.05

53.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.81 $6.81

17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.27 $6.27

29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 $1.06

10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.05 $3.05

73.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.75 $4.75

34.74%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.58 $3.58

41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.42 $13.42

39.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.42 $12.42

50.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.70 $18.70

22.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.08 $5.08

19.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.55 $1.55

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.28 $4.28

28.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.13 $4.13

57.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.79 $2.79

25.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.07 $3.07

7.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.23 $2.23

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.23 $2.23

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.24 $10.24

21.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.19 $17.19

-13.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.98 $1.98

111.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.10 $3.10

87.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.86 $1.86

63.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$51.2 $51.2

106.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.41 $3.41

-24.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.56 $1.56

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$28.94 $28.94

4.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.94 $0.94

50.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.8K $28.8K

27.69%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.9K $24.9K

6.70%

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

$308 $308

$199 $199

54.45%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$57.1 $57.1

21.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$69.7 $69.7

23.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.38 $34.38

122.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.97 $12.97

38.94%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,336 $1,336

105.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$21.6K $21.6K

41.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$55.8 $55.8

41.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$37.96 $37.96

43.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.3 $91.3

38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$108 $108

47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,578 $1,578

58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,265 $1,265

53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,539 $2,539

101.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,140 $2,140

65.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,920 $2,920

152.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,165 $2,165

131.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,091 $4,091

58.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 48.6% 34.7% $673

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

East Chicago, IN

$406 15.6% 25.8% $141

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

East Chicago, IN

$326 12.5% 29.6% $137

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

East Chicago, IN

$346 13.3% 14.9% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

East Chicago, IN

$132 5.1% 30.1% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

East Chicago, IN

$70 2.7% 45.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

East Chicago, IN

$60 2.3% 46.4% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,578 in East Chicago, IN. 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 58% 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 $65 in East Chicago, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $406 – making East Chicago, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🕒 Local time

07:26 7:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

26,370

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA East Chicago, IN 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 45%, 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 $3,907 in East Chicago, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East Chicago, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,578 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,605 in East Chicago, IN. That’s a gap of about 45%.

Public transport costs about 52% less in East Chicago, IN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,605 in East Chicago, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward East Chicago, IN – 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 East Chicago, IN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.