Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Federal Way, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Federal Way, WA: $3,292 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,292

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Federal Way, WA

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 Federal Way, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,292 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Federal Way, WA $3,292

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,328 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Federal Way, WA $4,328

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,364 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Federal Way, WA $5,364

Seattle, WA costs about 15% more than Federal Way, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Federal Way, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Federal Way, WA by 142%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.43 $25.43

-0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$75.7 $75.7

33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.64 $12.64

16.77%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.79 $5.79

12.26%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.96 $2.96

8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.66 $1.66

89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.20 $7.20

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.09 $7.09

14.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.11 $1.11

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.06 $4.06

30.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.17 $3.17

101.89%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.25 $5.25

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.13 $16.13

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.70 $10.70

74.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.14 $19.14

19.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.03 $5.03

20.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.57 $1.57

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.15 $4.15

32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.63 $4.63

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.59 $2.59

34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.46 $2.46

33.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.29 $2.29

22.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.50 $2.50

3.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.41 $12.41

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.26 $15.26

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.78 $1.78

135.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.90 $4.90

18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.60 $2.60

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.65 $2.65

-2.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.71 $1.71

-4.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.95 $29.95

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.31 $1.31

7.63%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

32.66%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

-2.10%

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

$308 $308

$158 $158

94.44%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$77.5 $77.5

-10.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$87.1 $87.1

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$13.02 $13.02

487.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.91 $11.91

51.30%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,423 $1,423

92.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.4K $31.4K

-2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$45.30 $45.30

74.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.29 $44.29

22.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$84.7 $84.7

49.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

57.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,006 $2,006

25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,987 $1,987

-2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,761 $2,761

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,448 $2,448

44.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,459 $4,459

45.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Federal Way, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.4% 2.5% $49

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Federal Way, WA

$420 12.8% 23.2% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Federal Way, WA

$323 9.8% 30.3% $140

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Federal Way, WA

$379 11.5% 6.6% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.8% 34.4% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7% 83.3% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1% 67.3% $76

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 $2,006 in Federal Way, WA. 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 45% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Federal Way, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $420 – making Federal Way, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

101,030

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Federal Way, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,938 in Federal Way, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Federal Way, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,006 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,292 in Federal Way, WA. That makes Federal Way, WA about 13% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,423 in Federal Way, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,292 in Federal Way, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Federal Way, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Federal Way, WA. 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.