Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ellicott City, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Ellicott City, MD: $3,480 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Ellicott City, MD
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Ellicott City, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Ellicott City, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,480

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,480 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Ellicott City, MD $3,480

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,630 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Ellicott City, MD $4,630

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,780 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Ellicott City, MD $5,780

Seattle, WA costs about 8% more than Ellicott City, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Ellicott City, MD sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Ellicott City, MD by 157%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$18.08 $18.08

31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$96.5 $96.5

2.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.67 $10.67

40.02%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.13 $5.13

32.36%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.49 $3.49

-7.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.68 $2.68

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.85 $6.85

19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.11 $8.11

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.93 $3.93

34.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.82 $3.82

50.79%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.49 $4.49

8.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$16.78 $16.78

20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$13.08 $13.08

37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$18.33 $18.33

27.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.17 $6.17

-3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.58 $1.58

19.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.17 $4.17

28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.15 $4.15

58.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.22 $2.22

52.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.73 $2.73

5.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.39 $2.39

20.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.37 $2.37

2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.50 $13.50

-9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.66 $15.66

-2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.67 $2.67

64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.17 $3.17

85.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.85 $1.85

36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.38 $1.38

24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$24.05 $24.05

23.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.99 $0.99

52.53%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$23.5K $23.5K

54.27%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.2K $24.2K

6.09%

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

$289 $289

$204 $204

41.81%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$50.4 $50.4

36.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.1 $81.1

4.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$112 $112

-38.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.60 $14.60

23.08%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,975 $1,975

42.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$38.7K $38.7K

13.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$53.1 $53.1

71.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$56.8 $56.8

-3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$94.1 $94.1

35.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$110 $110

46.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$2,490 $2,490

3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$2,106 $2,106

-7.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$3,041 $3,041

67.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,677 $2,677

32.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,641 $2,641

86.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$5,067 $5,067

27.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.9

-1.45%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Ellicott City, MD

$2.1K 60.5% 8.4% $163

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Ellicott City, MD

$434 12.5% 20.1% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Ellicott City, MD

$335 9.6% 24.3% $108

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Ellicott City, MD

$313 9% 21.5% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Ellicott City, MD

$141 4.1% 27.8% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Ellicott City, MD

$8.8 * 0.3% 93.4% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Ellicott City, MD

$141 4.1% 34.2% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $2,490 in Ellicott City, MD. 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 27% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $97 in Ellicott City, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $434 – making Ellicott City, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ellicott City, MD

🕒 Local time

16:22 4:22 PM

19:22 7:22 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

65,834

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Ellicott City, MD 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,221 in Ellicott City, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $2,490 in Ellicott City, MD. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,975 in Ellicott City, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $3,480 in Ellicott City, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ellicott City, MD – 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 Ellicott City, MD. 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.