Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fairbanks, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairbanks, AK: $3,000 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 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
145

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Fairbanks, AK $3,000

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,408 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Fairbanks, AK $4,408

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,816 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Fairbanks, AK $5,816

Seattle, WA costs about 26% more than Fairbanks, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fairbanks, AK sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Fairbanks, AK by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$25.10 $25.10

-2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$99.1 $99.1

-0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.27 $15.27

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.07 $6.07

7.41%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.68 $2.68

20.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.04 $2.04

55.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.83 $6.83

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$10.07 $10.07

-20.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.13 $1.13

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.38 $5.38

-4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.78 $4.78

26.57%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.36 $4.36

11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$21.93 $21.93

-12.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.66 $8.66

118.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$20.87 $20.87

11.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$7.54 $7.54

-20.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.17 $2.17

-11.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.03 $6.03

-12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.24 $6.24

5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.57 $3.57

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.69 $3.69

-10.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.02 $2.02

24.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.10 $12.10

0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$12.20 $12.20

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.77 $1.77

138.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.52 $1.52

94.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.60 $40.60

161.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.60 $3.60

-26.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.16 $2.16

-20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$44.97 $44.97

-33.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.28 $1.28

16.41%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$25.9K $25.9K

38.34%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.7K $24.7K

6.20%

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

$302 $302

$212 $212

42.18%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$61.3 $61.3

14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$139 $139

-38.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$98.0 $98.0

-20.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$18.10 $18.10

-1.44%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,845 $1,845

61.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$59.4 $59.4

28.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.78 $39.78

35.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$120 $120

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$119 $119

37.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,612 $1,612

51.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,381 $1,381

40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,580 $2,580

83.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,230 $2,230

55.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,244 $2,244

228.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,000 $2,000

156.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,941 $3,941

65.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.71

2.68%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46% 29.1% $566

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Fairbanks, AK

$466 * 15.5% 14.6% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Fairbanks, AK

$413 13.8% 9.7% $44

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1% 1.8% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1% 20% $38

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fairbanks, AK

$61 2% 52.8% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fairbanks, AK

$134 4.5% 18.2% $21

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,612 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 65% 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 $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK. Groceries tell a different story – $546 in Seattle, WA vs $466 in Fairbanks, AK – so Fairbanks, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🕒 Local time

08:07 8:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

32,515

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fairbanks, AK 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 26%, 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 $4,500 in Fairbanks, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fairbanks, AK – 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 Fairbanks, AK. 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.