Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fort Worth, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Fort Worth, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,691 in Fort Worth, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,989 in Fort Worth, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,287 in Fort Worth, TX.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 34% more expensive than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Fort Worth, TX 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$17.95 $17.95

38.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$60.2 $60.2

95.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$12.14 $12.14

13.43%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$6.35 $6.35

-10.08%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.68 $2.68

13.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.02 $2.02

23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.04 $5.04

55.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$5.71 $5.71

38.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.92 $0.92

46.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.13 $3.13

61.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.02 $4.02

34.08%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$3.53 $3.53

94.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$9.74 $9.74

157.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$15.17 $15.17

4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$19.50 $19.50

5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.97 $5.97

2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.69 $2.69

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.96 $3.96

39.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.10 $4.10

64.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.43 $2.43

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.88 $2.88

32.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.17 $2.17

23.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.17 $2.17

21.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$9.05 $9.05

28.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$19.72 $19.72

-20.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.90 $1.90

54.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.39 $4.39

-3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.34 $3.34

-15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$81.3 $81.3

23.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.06 $3.06

-15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.73 $1.73

-0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$24.37 $24.37

24.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.80 $0.80

48.75%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$24.6K $24.6K

32.85%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.18%

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

$263 $263

$232 $232

13.14%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$75.7 $75.7

-19.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$77.5 $77.5

-2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$35.54 $35.54

123.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$27.37 $27.37

45.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$13.62 $13.62

19.46%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,860 $1,860

22.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

26.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$60.6 $60.6

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$45.49 $45.49

14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$115 $115

0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$125 $125

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,598 $1,598

46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,231 $1,231

51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,687 $2,687

72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,218 $2,218

56.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$4,141 $4,141

87.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$1,835 $1,835

185.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,412 $4,412

49.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.59

-2.58%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Fort Worth, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,598 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 50% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $60.0 in Fort Worth, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $422 per month, with Fort Worth, TX cheaper across the board.

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 Worth, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Fort Worth, TX differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $2,691 including rent). Fort Worth, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 50% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,598 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,860 in Fort Worth, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Fort Worth, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Fort Worth, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.