Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fort Atkinson, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI: $2,292 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Fort Atkinson, WI
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Fort Atkinson, WI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Fort Atkinson, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,292

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fort Atkinson, WI

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 Fort Atkinson, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Fort Atkinson, WI $2,292

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,361 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Fort Atkinson, WI $3,361

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,430 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Fort Atkinson, WI $4,430

Seattle, WA costs about 65% more than Fort Atkinson, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fort Atkinson, WI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Fort Atkinson, WI by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$13.85 $13.85

77.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$75.8 $75.8

29.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.21 $12.21

21.13%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.27 $5.27

23.72%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.91 $2.91

11.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.35 $2.35

34.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.94 $5.94

32.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.28 $8.28

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.82 $0.82

47.56%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.15 $2.15

139.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.86 $2.86

111.54%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.49 $3.49

39.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$7.84 $7.84

144.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.91 $10.91

73.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$10.56 $10.56

120.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.74 $5.74

4.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.72 $1.72

12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.45 $3.45

52.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.82 $4.82

36.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.75 $2.75

31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.21 $3.21

3.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.99 $1.99

39.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.97 $1.97

27.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.14 $12.14

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$8.14 $8.14

82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.68 $1.68

151.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.27 $3.27

76.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.92 $1.92

53.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.17 $3.17

-16.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.78 $1.78

-3.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$31.11 $31.11

-4.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.01 $1.01

47.52%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$34.7K $34.7K

3.53%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.74%

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

$302 $302

$173 $173

74.61%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$49.97 $49.97

40.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$50.5 $50.5

68.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.40 $36.40

113.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$8.16 $8.16

118.63%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,177 $1,177

152.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$24.3K $24.3K

28.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$19.69 $19.69

288.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$14.80 $14.80

265.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$44.96 $44.96

185.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$64.4 $64.4

155.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,588 $1,588

53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,284 $1,284

51.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,522 $2,522

88.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,145 $2,145

61.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,512 $2,512

193.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,233 $2,233

129.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fort Atkinson, WI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$1.3K 56% 34% $662

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$319 13.9% 41.5% $226

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$273 11.9% 40.2% $184

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$278 12.1% 30.5% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$65 2.8% 66% $126

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$20 * 0.9% 84.7% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fort Atkinson, WI

$53 2.3% 53.5% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $319 – making Fort Atkinson, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fort Atkinson, WI

🕒 Local time

20:18 8:18 PM

22:18 10:18 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

12,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Fort Atkinson, WI 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fort Atkinson, WI

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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 Fort Atkinson, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 65% more than Fort Atkinson, WI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,438 in Fort Atkinson, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI. That's a gap of about 65%.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,177 in Fort Atkinson, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Atkinson, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,292, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Fort Atkinson, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fort Atkinson, WI costs $2,292 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Atkinson, WI. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.