Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fort Wayne, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Wayne, IN: $2,122 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in Fort Wayne, IN
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Fort Wayne, IN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Fort Wayne, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,122

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Fort Wayne, IN

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 Wayne, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,122 in Fort Wayne, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Fort Wayne, IN $2,122

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,040 in Fort Wayne, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Fort Wayne, IN $3,040

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,958 in Fort Wayne, IN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Fort Wayne, IN $3,958

Seattle, WA costs about 78% more than Fort Wayne, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fort Wayne, IN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Fort Wayne, IN by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.16 $15.16

66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$54.8 $54.8

84.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.13 $10.13

45.71%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.44 $4.44

46.40%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.29 $2.29

40.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.09 $2.09

50.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.59 $4.59

73.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.83 $5.83

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.73 $0.73

60.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.21 $3.21

65.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.50 $4.50

42.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.65 $3.65

38.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.27 $11.27

66.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.51 $9.51

96.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.84 $14.84

54.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.96 $5.96

1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.12 $1.12

74.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.67 $3.67

50.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.37 $4.37

49.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.37 $2.37

47.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.94 $2.94

11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.46 $2.46

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.27 $1.27

103.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.25 $11.25

11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.18 $12.18

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.02 $2.02

107.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.43 $3.43

69.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.47 $1.47

107.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$54.1 $54.1

95.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.98 $2.98

-13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.56 $1.56

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$26.92 $26.92

11.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.97 $0.97

45.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

35.43%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.28%

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

$308 $308

$198 $198

55.49%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$50.1 $50.1

38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$58.5 $58.5

47.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$35.65 $35.65

114.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$23.97 $23.97

48.10%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.95 $12.95

39.15%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,369 $1,369

100.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$20.4K $20.4K

50.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$53.8 $53.8

47.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.28 $39.28

38.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$108 $108

17.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$94.7 $94.7

67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,303 $1,303

92.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$942 $942

105.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,482 $2,482

106.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,419 $1,419

149.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,645 $2,645

178.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,595 $1,595

213.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,530 $3,530

83.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.53

5.51%

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 Wayne, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Fort Wayne, IN

$942 44.4% 51.4% $996

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Fort Wayne, IN

$350 16.5% 35.9% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Fort Wayne, IN

$306 14.4% 33.8% $156

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Fort Wayne, IN

$257 12.1% 36.7% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fort Wayne, IN

$133 6.3% 29.4% $55

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fort Wayne, IN

$71 3.3% 45.1% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Fort Wayne, IN

$62 2.9% 45.3% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,303 in Fort Wayne, IN. 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 83% 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 $55 in Fort Wayne, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $350 – making Fort Wayne, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fort Wayne, IN

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

13:55 1:55 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

248,637

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Fort Wayne, IN 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fort Wayne, IN

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 Wayne, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 78% more than Fort Wayne, IN, 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 $3,183 in Fort Wayne, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fort Wayne, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,303 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $55 in Fort Wayne, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,122 in Fort Wayne, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fort Wayne, IN – 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 Fort Wayne, IN. 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.