Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Edwardsville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Edwardsville, IL: $2,709 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Edwardsville, IL
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Edwardsville, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Edwardsville, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,709

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Edwardsville, IL $2,709

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,793 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Edwardsville, IL $3,793

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,877 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Edwardsville, IL $4,877

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Edwardsville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Edwardsville, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Edwardsville, IL by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$21.46 $21.46

14.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$66.4 $66.4

47.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.60 $11.60

27.50%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.07 $5.07

28.60%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.84 $2.84

13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.99 $1.99

59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.41 $5.41

45.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.62 $7.62

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.35 $3.35

53.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.66 $4.66

29.83%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.54 $4.54

7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.73 $11.73

63.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.06 $12.06

56.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.58 $14.58

59.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.32 $4.32

38.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.77 $1.77

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.97 $3.97

32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.47 $4.47

46.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.08 $3.08

17.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.76 $2.76

19.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.41 $2.41

15.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.11 $2.11

18.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.04 $9.04

34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$16.27 $16.27

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.87 $1.87

125.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.73 $3.73

54.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.97 $1.97

49.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$101 $101

5.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.35 $3.35

-20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.87 $1.87

-8.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.51 $29.51

0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.98 $0.98

52.04%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$29.9K $29.9K

20.15%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

4.18%

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

$302 $302

$196 $196

53.95%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$57.4 $57.4

22.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.6 $69.6

22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$41.56 $41.56

87.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.46 $15.46

15.39%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,426 $1,426

108.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$24.9K $24.9K

25.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$52.1 $52.1

46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.41 $41.41

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.3 $89.3

43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$116 $116

40.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,824 $1,824

34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,340 $1,340

45.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,366 $2,366

100.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,919 $1,919

80.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,030 $3,030

143.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,373 $2,373

116.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,962 $4,962

31.13%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Edwardsville, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Edwardsville, IL

$1.3K 49.4% 31.2% $607

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Edwardsville, IL

$389 14.4% 28.7% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Edwardsville, IL

$323 11.9% 29.4% $134

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Edwardsville, IL

$329 12.1% 17.7% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Edwardsville, IL

$135 5% 29.2% $56

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Edwardsville, IL

$122 4.5% 6% $7.7

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Edwardsville, IL

$72 2.7% 36.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,824 in Edwardsville, IL. 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 31% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $66.0 in Edwardsville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $389 – making Edwardsville, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Edwardsville, IL

🕒 Local time

01:30 1:30 AM

03:30 3:30 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

26,808

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Edwardsville, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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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 Edwardsville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,064 in Edwardsville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edwardsville, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL. That's a gap of about 40%.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Edwardsville, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Edwardsville, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Edwardsville, IL. 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.