Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fort Lauderdale, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Lauderdale, FL: $3,414 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 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
166

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Fort Lauderdale, FL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fort Lauderdale, FL

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 Lauderdale, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Fort Lauderdale, FL $3,414

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,025 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Fort Lauderdale, FL $5,025

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,636 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Fort Lauderdale, FL $6,636

Seattle, WA costs about 11% more than Fort Lauderdale, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fort Lauderdale, FL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Fort Lauderdale, FL by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$29.40 $29.40

-13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.7 $99.7

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.55 $14.55

1.44%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.10 $5.10

27.45%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.99 $2.99

7.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.17 $2.17

44.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.13 $6.13

30.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.93 $6.93

17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.03 $5.03

5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.75 $3.75

70.67%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.90 $4.90

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$17.22 $17.22

8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.33 $10.33

81.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$26.42 $26.42

-13.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.47 $6.47

-6.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.36 $4.36

26.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.33 $5.33

22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.89 $2.89

20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.17 $3.17

3.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.66 $2.66

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.52 $9.52

31.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.81 $11.81

25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.00 $3.00

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.12 $2.12

173.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.05 $2.05

48.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$71.0 $71.0

49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.01 $4.01

-35.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.81 $1.81

-9.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$23.92 $23.92

25.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

29.94%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.14%

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

$308 $308

$212 $212

45.24%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$64.8 $64.8

6.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$80.7 $80.7

6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$42.90 $42.90

78.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$14.34 $14.34

147.56%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.92 $17.92

0.56%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,026 $1,026

167.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$41.2K $41.2K

-25.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$46.35 $46.35

70.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.77 $41.77

30.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$87.5 $87.5

44.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$116 $116

36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,687 $2,687

-6.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,893 $1,893

2.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,985 $4,985

2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,168 $3,168

11.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,795 $5,795

27.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,254 $4,254

17.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,757 $4,757

36.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.63

3.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$1.9K 55.5% 2.3% $45

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$456 13.4% 16.7% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$357 10.5% 22.8% $106

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$405 11.9% 0.3% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$131 3.9% 30.4% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$92 2.7% 28.5% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$79 2.3% 30% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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 36% 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 $100 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $456 – making Fort Lauderdale, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, FL

🕒 Local time

09:04 9:04 AM

12:04 12:04 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

165,521

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fort Lauderdale, FL 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lauderdale, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 11% more than Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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 $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,121 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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.