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: $3,661 in Seattle, WA versus $3,165 in Farmington, NM.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,544 in Seattle, WA versus $4,472 in Farmington, NM.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,427 in Seattle, WA versus $5,779 in Farmington, NM.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 16% more expensive than Farmington, NM, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 173% above, Farmington, NM 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.33 $19.33

30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$74.4 $74.4

62.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 $14.11

$11.08 $11.08

27.35%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$5.08 $5.08

14.57%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.60 $2.60

14.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.04 $2.04

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 $7.73

$6.03 $6.03

28.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.88 $6.88

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.99 $0.99

35.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.48 $3.48

41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.43 $4.43

16.03%

Eggs

$6.57 $6.57

$4.30 $4.30

52.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$12.47 $12.47

97.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$11.58 $11.58

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 $20.14

$15.57 $15.57

29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$5.02 $5.02

24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.57 $1.57

82.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.19 $4.19

26.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.63 $4.63

38.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.89 $2.89

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.86 $2.86

33.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.00 $2.00

37.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.11 $2.11

22.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$9.46 $9.46

23.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$14.84 $14.84

6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.79 $1.79

60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.33 $3.33

31.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.97 $1.97

40.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

$29.71 $29.71

232.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.58 $3.58

-25.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.63 $1.63

4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$29.21 $29.21

1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.90 $0.90

26.67%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

12.45%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.45%

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

$268 $268

$191 $191

40.42%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$52.0 $52.0

17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$66.5 $66.5

14.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 $78.1

$43.25 $43.25

80.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.15 $40.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$13.58 $13.58

16.49%

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

$2,252 $2,252

$1,308 $1,308

72.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$23.8K $23.8K

24.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$52.0 $52.0

36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$39.40 $39.40

34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$85.6 $85.6

36.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$114 $114

22.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$2,017 $2,017

14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 $1,849

$1,959 $1,959

-5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,739 $4,739

$3,091 $3,091

53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$3,097 $3,097

14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 $7,775

$2,024 $2,024

284.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 $5,351

$2,401 $2,401

122.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,575 $6,575

$7,275 $7,275

-9.62%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Farmington, NM: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Seattle, WA and $2,017 in Farmington, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Farmington, NM pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $74 in Farmington, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $539 vs $389 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 16% 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, Farmington, NM earns 11% less. 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: $2,310 in Seattle, WA versus $2,017 in Farmington, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,252 in Seattle, WA versus $1,308 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 $3,165 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 16% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.