Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fairfield, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairfield, CT: $2,624 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CT
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Fairfield, CT Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Fairfield, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,624

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fairfield, CT

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 Fairfield, CT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,624 in Fairfield, CT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Fairfield, CT $2,624

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,865 in Fairfield, CT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Fairfield, CT $3,865

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,106 in Fairfield, CT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Fairfield, CT $5,106

Seattle, WA costs about 44% more than Fairfield, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fairfield, CT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Fairfield, CT by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.72 $19.72

24.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$73.7 $73.7

33.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.48 $11.48

28.83%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.63 $5.63

15.81%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.45 $2.45

31.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.79 $1.79

77.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.88 $5.88

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.04 $7.04

14.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.01 $1.01

19.80%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.55 $3.55

44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.38 $4.38

38.13%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.25 $4.25

14.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.61 $12.61

52.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.70 $11.70

61.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.14 $17.14

36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.32 $4.32

38.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.54 $1.54

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.85 $3.85

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.37 $4.37

50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.91 $2.91

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.70 $2.70

22.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.12 $2.12

31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.35 $2.35

6.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.85 $8.85

37.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.52 $15.52

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.97 $1.97

114.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.14 $3.14

83.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$70.0 $70.0

51.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.28 $3.28

-19.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 $1.71

0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$30.28 $30.28

-1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.14 $1.14

30.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.4K $30.4K

17.99%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

0.31%

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

$302 $302

$197 $197

53.23%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$58.0 $58.0

20.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$70.6 $70.6

20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.03 $42.03

85.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.29 $14.29

24.84%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,424 $1,424

108.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

34.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$52.6 $52.6

45.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.95 $40.95

31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.4 $88.4

44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$115 $115

42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,567 $1,567

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,290 $1,290

50.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,545 $2,545

86.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,184 $2,184

58.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,337 $2,337

215.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,221 $2,221

130.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,993 $4,993

30.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

14.83%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fairfield, CT: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Fairfield, CT

$1.3K 49.2% 33.7% $657

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Fairfield, CT

$394 15% 27.8% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Fairfield, CT

$326 12.4% 28.8% $132

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Fairfield, CT

$320 12.2% 19.9% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Fairfield, CT

$134 5.1% 29.8% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fairfield, CT

$90 3.4% 30.4% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fairfield, CT

$71 2.7% 37.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,567 in Fairfield, CT. 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 30% 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 $74.0 in Fairfield, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $394 – making Fairfield, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CT

🕒 Local time

03:19 3:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

117,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Fairfield, CT 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Fairfield, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 44%, 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 $3,936 in Fairfield, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,424 in Fairfield, CT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,624 in Fairfield, CT. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fairfield, CT – 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 Fairfield, CT. 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.