Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Gloucester, MA: $2,837 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Gloucester, MA, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,762
/mo nomad
Gloucester, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Gloucester, MA

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 Gloucester, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,837 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,762
  • Gloucester, MA $2,837

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,132 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,651
  • Gloucester, MA $4,132

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,426 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,541
  • Gloucester, MA $5,426

Seattle, WA costs about 33% more than Gloucester, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Gloucester, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Gloucester, MA by 110%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 $23.80
$19.07 $19.07
24.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.6 $98.6
$72.6 $72.6
35.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.94 $14.94
$11.23 $11.23
33.04%
Cappuccino
$6.79 $6.79
$4.62 $4.62
46.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$2.33 $2.33
38.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.99 $1.99
58.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.21 $8.21
$6.60 $6.60
24.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 $7.87
$6.86 $6.86
14.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.01 $1.01
15.84%
White Bread (500g)
$5.29 $5.29
$3.53 $3.53
49.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.76 $5.76
$4.26 $4.26
35.21%
Eggs
$4.89 $4.89
$4.07 $4.07
20.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.25 $20.25
$12.32 $12.32
64.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.95 $17.95
$11.76 $11.76
52.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.35 $23.35
$17.20 $17.20
35.76%
Apples (1kg)
$5.94 $5.94
$5.03 $5.03
18.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.68 $1.68
12.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$4.38 $4.38
22.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$4.73 $4.73
38.90%
Potato (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$2.79 $2.79
21.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$2.87 $2.87
0.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.20 $2.20
31.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.21 $2.21
9.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.18 $12.18
$10.23 $10.23
19.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$14.76 $14.76
3.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.07 $2.07
111.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 $5.89
$3.64 $3.64
61.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.05 $2.05
44.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 $109
$59.2 $59.2
84.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.51 $3.51
-28.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.97 $1.97
-12.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.70 $29.70
$34.18 $34.18
-13.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.12 $1.12
34.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$30.7K $30.7K
18.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$29.6K $29.6K
-13.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 $289
$198 $198
45.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$58.8 $58.8
17.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.8 $84.8
$70.8 $70.8
19.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 $69.4
$40.79 $40.79
70.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.05 $35.05
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.97 $17.97
$13.04 $13.04
37.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,819 $2,819
$1,307 $1,307
115.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$43.9K $43.9K
$18.5K $18.5K
136.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.2 $91.2
$53.8 $53.8
69.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 $55.1
$41.76 $41.76
31.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$148 $148
-14.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 $162
$113 $113
43.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 $2,579
$1,761 $1,761
46.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,943 $1,943
$1,496 $1,496
29.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,100 $5,100
$3,041 $3,041
67.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,541 $3,541
$2,490 $2,490
42.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,357 $7,357
$2,715 $2,715
170.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,921 $4,921
$2,439 $2,439
101.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Gloucester, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,448 $6,448
$2,429 $2,429
165.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
6.59
3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gloucester, MA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Gloucester, MA
$1.5K 23% $446
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$544
Gloucester, MA
$399 26.6% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$443
Gloucester, MA
$328 26% $115
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$399
Gloucester, MA
$306 23.4% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$196
Gloucester, MA
$161 18.1% $35
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$132
Gloucester, MA
$81 39% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$105
Gloucester, MA
$67 36.5% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,761 in Gloucester, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Seattle, WA are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $73 in Gloucester, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $399 – making Gloucester, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Gloucester, MA
🕒 Local time
08:01 8:01 AM
11:01 11:01 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
29,729
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Gloucester, MA 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Gloucester, MA

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 Gloucester, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gloucester, MA cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,255 in Gloucester, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gloucester, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,761 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,307 in Gloucester, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Seattle, WA and in Gloucester, MA?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Seattle, WA or in Gloucester, MA?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,837 in Gloucester, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Seattle, WA or Gloucester, MA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Gloucester, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Gloucester, MA. 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.

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