Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Myers, FL: $3,034 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
147

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Fort Myers, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,034

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fort Myers, 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 Myers, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $3,034 in Fort Myers, FL.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Fort Myers, FL $3,034

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $4,394 in Fort Myers, FL.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Fort Myers, FL $4,394

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $5,753 in Fort Myers, FL.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Fort Myers, FL $5,753

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 25% more expensive than in Fort Myers, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Fort Myers, FL 125% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$24.92 $24.92

1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.7 $78.7

28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$12.46 $12.46

19.18%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.49 $4.49

46.77%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.71 $2.71

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.95 $1.95

61.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.87 $4.87

67.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.07 $6.07

32.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.03 $1.03

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.60 $4.60

11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.97 $4.97

26.76%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.05 $4.05

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$9.48 $9.48

101.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$10.57 $10.57

75.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$19.79 $19.79

16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$6.15 $6.15

-5.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.47 $1.47

32.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.26 $4.26

24.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.44 $5.44

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.75 $2.75

29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.79 $3.79

-16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.75 $2.75

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.79 $1.79

35.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.02 $9.02

41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$16.77 $16.77

-10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.58 $2.58

61.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.20 $2.20

172.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.01 $2.01

51.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$39.37 $39.37

179.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.98 $3.98

-35.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.88 $1.88

-12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$23.65 $23.65

25.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.03 $1.03

37.86%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$33.6K $33.6K

6.24%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.18%

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

$299 $299

$192 $192

55.36%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$64.0 $64.0

10.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$80.9 $80.9

9.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$45.57 $45.57

74.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$19.95 $19.95

77.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$17.91 $17.91

-4.41%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,915 $1,915

57.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$41.2K $41.2K

-23.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$46.85 $46.85

64.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$41.22 $41.22

33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$87.6 $87.6

43.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$98.3 $98.3

65.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,791 $1,791

37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,670 $1,670

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,952 $2,952

59.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$2,714 $2,714

30.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$2,673 $2,673

174.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$2,693 $2,693

87.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,747 $3,747

67.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.63

3.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fort Myers, FL: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Fort Myers, FL

$1.7K 55% 14.6% $286

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Fort Myers, FL

$416 13.7% 23.2% $126

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Fort Myers, FL

$337 11.1% 26.4% $121

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Fort Myers, FL

$346 11.4% 15.4% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fort Myers, FL

$123 4.1% 34.9% $66

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Fort Myers, FL

$61 2% 54.3% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fort Myers, FL

$81 2.7% 28.5% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,791 in Fort Myers, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $79.0 in Fort Myers, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $416 per month, with Fort Myers, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fort Myers, FL

🕒 Local time

09:18 9:18 AM

12:18 12:18 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

68,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fort Myers, FL 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Myers, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Myers, FL is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,791 in Fort Myers, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Myers, FL – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Fort Myers, FL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Fort Myers, FL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Fort Myers, FL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.