Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Galveston, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Galveston, TX: $2,222 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 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
107

Cost of Living Index in Galveston, TX
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Galveston, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Galveston, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Galveston, TX

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 Galveston, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,222 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Galveston, TX $2,222

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,215 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Galveston, TX $3,215

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,209 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Galveston, TX $4,209

Seattle, WA costs about 70% more than Galveston, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Galveston, TX sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Galveston, TX by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$22.04 $22.04

14.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.5 $76.5

31.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.12 $12.12

21.78%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$7.95 $7.95

-18.24%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.84 $2.84

13.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.77 $1.77

77.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.15 $5.15

54.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.05 $4.05

100.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.81 $0.81

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.56 $2.56

107.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.81 $2.81

127.76%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.75 $2.75

84.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.45 $11.45

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.54 $9.54

96.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.24 $13.24

72.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.47 $5.47

10.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.57 $1.57

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.18 $3.18

73.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.76 $3.76

73.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.13 $2.13

63.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.50 $2.50

31.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.80 $1.80

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.91 $9.91

26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.90 $10.90

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.79 $1.79

134.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.77 $1.77

227.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$32.77 $32.77

223.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$9.90 $9.90

-73.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.82 $1.82

-9.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$60.6 $60.6

-50.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.95 $0.95

48.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

37.07%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.85%

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

$308 $308

$176 $176

74.60%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$42.42 $42.42

63.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$39.79 $39.79

116.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.89 $34.89

119.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.17 $11.17

61.32%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$759 $759

261.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$18.2K $18.2K

67.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$44.12 $44.12

79.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$38.49 $38.49

41.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$73.4 $73.4

72.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$81.1 $81.1

96.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,186 $1,186

111.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,059 $1,059

83.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,118 $2,118

141.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,579 $1,579

124.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,698 $2,698

173.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,158 $2,158

131.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,045 $4,045

59.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Galveston, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Galveston, TX

$1.1K 47.7% 45.4% $879

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Galveston, TX

$320 14.4% 41.4% $227

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Galveston, TX

$258 11.6% 44.2% $204

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Galveston, TX

$360 16.2% 11.3% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Galveston, TX

$107 4.8% 43.4% $82

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Galveston, TX

$60 2.7% 53.8% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Galveston, TX

$57 2.6% 49.1% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,186 in Galveston, TX. 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 60% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $77 in Galveston, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $320 – making Galveston, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Galveston, TX

🕒 Local time

02:42 2:42 AM

04:42 4:42 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

53,695

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Galveston, TX 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Galveston, TX

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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 Galveston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $2,222 in Galveston, TX – Galveston, TX comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,333 in Galveston, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galveston, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,186 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,222 in Galveston, TX. That makes Galveston, TX about 41% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Galveston, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Galveston, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,222, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Galveston, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Galveston, TX – 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 Galveston, TX. 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.