Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fargo, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Fargo, ND: $2,127 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 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
102

Cost of Living Index in Fargo, ND
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Fargo, ND Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,127

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fargo, ND

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 Fargo, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,127 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Fargo, ND $2,127

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,227 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Fargo, ND $3,227

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,327 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Fargo, ND $4,327

Seattle, WA costs about 78% more than Fargo, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and Fargo, ND sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Fargo, ND by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.17 $17.17

47.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.0 $59.0

71.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.95 $11.95

23.51%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.41 $5.41

20.15%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.56 $2.56

25.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.94 $1.94

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.36 $5.36

48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.83 $8.83

-7.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.23 $1.23

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.40 $3.40

55.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.63 $7.63

-16.12%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.08 $4.08

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.93 $14.93

25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.52 $15.52

20.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$21.08 $21.08

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$10.28 $10.28

-41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.34 $2.34

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.51 $6.51

-15.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.40 $5.40

20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.10 $5.10

-31.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.76 $3.76

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.95 $1.95

43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.74 $2.74

-5.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.60 $8.60

45.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.58 $18.58

-19.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.62 $2.62

59.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.63 $5.63

3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.03 $2.03

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$42.10 $42.10

151.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.58 $4.58

-43.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.97 $0.97

45.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.4K $27.4K

34.47%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

4.92%

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

$308 $308

$138 $138

122.42%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.1 $58.1

19.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$56.5 $56.5

52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$52.0 $52.0

47.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.96 $13.96

29.08%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,247 $1,247

120.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$49.85 $49.85

58.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.16 $47.16

15.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$84.2 $84.2

50.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

57.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,013 $1,013

147.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$790 $790

145.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,627 $1,627

214.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,363 $1,363

159.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,459 $2,459

199.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,688 $1,688

196.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,858 $3,858

67.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fargo, ND: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Fargo, ND

$790 37.1% 59.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Fargo, ND

$522 24.6% 4.5% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Fargo, ND

$253 11.9% 45.4% $210

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Fargo, ND

$300 14.1% 26% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fargo, ND

$127 6% 32.8% $62

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fargo, ND

$55 * 2.6% 57.5% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Fargo, ND

$80 3.8% 29% $33

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,013 in Fargo, ND. 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 68% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $59 in Fargo, ND. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $522 – making Fargo, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fargo, ND

🕒 Local time

11:33 11:33 AM

13:33 1:33 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

90,056

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fargo, ND 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fargo, ND

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 Fargo, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 78% more than Fargo, ND, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,191 in Fargo, ND. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fargo, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,013 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $59 in Fargo, ND. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,127 in Fargo, ND. That makes Fargo, ND about 44% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,127 in Fargo, ND. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fargo, ND costs $2,127 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fargo, ND. 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.