Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Farmington Hills, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Farmington Hills, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $2,541 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $3,817 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $5,094 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 53% more expensive than in Farmington Hills, MI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Farmington Hills, MI 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$20.32 $20.32

24.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$60.3 $60.3

67.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.40 $10.40

42.31%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$5.10 $5.10

30.00%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.12 $2.12

45.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.95 $1.95

51.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$5.12 $5.12

55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.01 $6.01

31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.72 $0.72

69.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.15 $2.15

139.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.61 $4.61

33.62%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$2.83 $2.83

79.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$9.61 $9.61

121.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$11.61 $11.61

58.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$13.29 $13.29

73.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.35 $5.35

12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.06 $1.06

77.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$6.81 $6.81

-23.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$5.87 $5.87

8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$6.67 $6.67

-43.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.67 $4.67

-29.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.93 $1.93

48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.52 $1.52

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$8.98 $8.98

54.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.82 $12.82

17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.02 $2.02

106.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.56 $2.56

120.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.07 $3.07

-3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$66.2 $66.2

62.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.29 $5.29

-51.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.54 $1.54

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$48.66 $48.66

-39.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.95 $0.95

53.68%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.3K $35.3K

2.07%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$24.9K $24.9K

2.24%

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

$306 $306

$117 $117

160.69%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$36.75 $36.75

90.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$61.7 $61.7

41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$76.2 $76.2

4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

$35.64 $35.64

-2.53%

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$9.48 $9.48

88.29%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$1,618 $1,618

86.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$16.7K $16.7K

86.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.6 $57.6

33.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$21.61 $21.61

149.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$45.55 $45.55

176.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$148 $148

9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,543 $1,543

59.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,292 $1,292

53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$2,726 $2,726

79.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$2,341 $2,341

54.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$2,968 $2,968

148.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$1,708 $1,708

193.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

$5,195 $5,195

18.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.04

6.79%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Farmington Hills, MI: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $1,543 in Farmington Hills, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $60.0 in Farmington Hills, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $551 vs $371 per month, with Farmington Hills, MI cheaper across the board.

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 Farmington Hills, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Farmington Hills, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Farmington Hills, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $1,543 in Farmington Hills, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $1,618 in Farmington Hills, MI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Farmington Hills, MI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Farmington Hills, MI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,541 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Farmington Hills, MI hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Farmington Hills, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.