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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,752 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,802 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,853 in Farmington Hills, MI.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 31% more expensive than Farmington Hills, MI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Farmington Hills, MI 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$17.78 $17.78

39.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$60.8 $60.8

93.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.54 $10.54

30.65%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.64 $4.64

23.06%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.13 $2.13

43.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.63 $1.63

53.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.17 $6.17

26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.46 $6.46

21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.90 $0.90

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.19 $2.19

131.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.19 $4.19

28.64%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$3.21 $3.21

113.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$10.64 $10.64

135.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$12.07 $12.07

31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$14.75 $14.75

39.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$7.07 $7.07

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.37 $1.37

105.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.73 $5.73

-3.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.31 $5.31

26.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.18 $2.18

44.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.93 $3.93

-2.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.34 $2.34

14.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.64 $1.64

60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$9.04 $9.04

28.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$13.18 $13.18

19.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.83 $1.83

60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.24 $2.24

89.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.09 $3.09

-8.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$64.8 $64.8

54.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.69 $4.69

-44.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.22 $1.22

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$27.93 $27.93

8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.91 $0.91

30.77%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$24.3K $24.3K

34.55%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

6.07%

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

$263 $263

$119 $119

121.45%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$46.20 $46.20

31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$62.0 $62.0

22.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$43.32 $43.32

83.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$35.03 $35.03

13.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$10.97 $10.97

48.31%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$947 $947

140.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$16.6K $16.6K

76.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$39.80 $39.80

72.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$39.27 $39.27

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$51.7 $51.7

123.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$99.8 $99.8

43.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,452 $1,452

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,615 $1,615

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,753 $2,753

68.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,201 $2,201

57.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,962 $2,962

162.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$1,706 $1,706

206.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$5,736 $5,736

15.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.51

-1.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Farmington Hills, MI: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,452 in Farmington Hills, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 15% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $61.0 in Farmington Hills, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $374 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 31% 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.

Seattle, WA pays 15% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,452 in Farmington Hills, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $947 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 46% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,752 in Farmington Hills, MI versus $3,598 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Farmington Hills, MI but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Farmington Hills, MI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Farmington Hills, MI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,752 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 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.