Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Framingham, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Framingham, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,298 in Framingham, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,725 in Framingham, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,153 in Framingham, MA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 9% more expensive than Framingham, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Framingham, MA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$19.06 $19.06

30.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$102 $102

15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$13.32 $13.32

3.38%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$3.72 $3.72

53.49%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.70 $2.70

12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.07 $2.07

20.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.90 $5.90

32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.54 $6.54

20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.16 $1.16

16.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.41 $3.41

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.12 $3.12

72.76%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$5.91 $5.91

15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$10.64 $10.64

135.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$9.35 $9.35

69.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$19.51 $19.51

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.65 $3.65

68.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.94 $1.94

45.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.67 $5.67

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.99 $5.99

12.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.98 $1.98

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.92 $2.92

30.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.98 $2.98

-9.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.57 $2.57

2.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.06 $11.06

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.20 $14.20

10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.15 $2.15

36.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.04 $2.04

107.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.41 $2.41

17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.92 $3.92

-33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 $1.71

0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$29.29 $29.29

3.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.89 $0.89

33.71%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

15.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$17.0K $17.0K

53.90%

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

$263 $263

$224 $224

16.97%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$29.72 $29.72

104.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$65.9 $65.9

15.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$24.78 $24.78

221.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$24.54 $24.54

62.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$9.12 $9.12

78.40%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,524 $1,524

49.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

24.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$35.05 $35.05

95.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$30.52 $30.52

70.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$57.7 $57.7

100.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$84.5 $84.5

69.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,043 $2,043

14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$2,144 $2,144

-13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$3,290 $3,290

40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,482 $3,482

-0.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,800 $4,800

37.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.61

-2.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Framingham, MA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $2,043 in Framingham, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 38% 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 $102 in Framingham, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $399 per month, with Framingham, MA 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 Framingham, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Framingham, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Framingham, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 38% 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 $2,043 in Framingham, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,524 in Framingham, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Framingham, MA – a meal for two runs $102 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Framingham, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Framingham, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,298 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Framingham, MA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Framingham, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.