Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Farmington, NM Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Farmington, NM

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,604 in Seattle, WA versus $3,174 in Farmington, NM.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $4,499 in Farmington, NM.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Seattle, WA versus $5,823 in Farmington, NM.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 14% more expensive than in Farmington, NM, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Farmington, NM 138% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.78 $24.78

$18.93 $18.93

30.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$76.4 $76.4

59.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.13 $11.13

25.97%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.04 $5.04

10.32%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.52 $2.52

21.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.96 $1.96

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$5.99 $5.99

32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.19 $7.19

12.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.03 $1.03

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.55 $3.55

39.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.41 $4.41

21.32%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$4.27 $4.27

54.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.87 $24.87

$12.35 $12.35

101.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$11.41 $11.41

39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$15.72 $15.72

28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$5.05 $5.05

22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.59 $1.59

73.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.20 $4.20

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.68 $4.68

39.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.91 $2.91

10.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.86 $2.86

31.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.09 $2.09

35.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.13 $2.13

23.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$9.72 $9.72

20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$14.75 $14.75

4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.86 $1.86

52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.46 $3.46

22.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.03 $2.03

35.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$29.51 $29.51

231.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.41 $3.41

-23.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.64 $1.64

0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$29.62 $29.62

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.89 $0.89

28.09%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$30.0K $30.0K

10.36%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.19%

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

$270 $270

$186 $186

45.20%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$52.1 $52.1

14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$66.9 $66.9

11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$43.84 $43.84

77.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.03 $41.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$13.73 $13.73

14.93%

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

$2,279 $2,279

$1,287 $1,287

77.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$23.8K $23.8K

25.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$50.9 $50.9

37.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$40.16 $40.16

30.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$86.6 $86.6

35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$114 $114

25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,988 $1,988

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 $1,899

$1,975 $1,975

-3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$3,154 $3,154

50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,472 $3,472

$3,147 $3,147

10.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 $7,709

$2,042 $2,042

277.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,983 $4,983

$2,423 $2,423

105.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,641 $6,641

$7,164 $7,164

-7.29%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Farmington, NM: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Seattle, WA and $1,988 in Farmington, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Farmington, NM pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Seattle, WA vs $76.0 in Farmington, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $391 per month, with Farmington, NM 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, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Farmington, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Farmington, NM the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Farmington, NM. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,332 in Seattle, WA versus $1,988 in Farmington, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,279 in Seattle, WA versus $1,287 in Farmington, NM. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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, NM 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, NM delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,174 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Farmington, NM hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Farmington, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.