Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Golden, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Golden, CO: $3,466 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Golden, CO
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Golden, CO Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Golden, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,466

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Golden, CO

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 Golden, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,466 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Golden, CO $3,466

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,184 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Golden, CO $3,184

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,903 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Golden, CO $2,903

Seattle, WA costs about 9% more than Golden, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Golden, CO sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Golden, CO by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.35 $20.35

20.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$66.4 $66.4

47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.87 $11.87

24.60%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.38 $5.38

21.19%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.70 $2.70

19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.97 $1.97

60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.89 $5.89

33.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.21 $7.21

11.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.91 $0.91

32.97%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.27 $3.27

57.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.34 $4.34

39.40%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.02 $3.02

61.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$15.08 $15.08

27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.68 $13.68

38.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.39 $17.39

34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.48 $5.48

9.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.33 $1.33

45.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.50 $4.50

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.62 $4.62

42.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.42 $2.42

49.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.60 $2.60

27.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.40 $2.40

15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.97 $1.97

27.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.09 $10.09

20.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$19.31 $19.31

-23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.32 $3.32

27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.73 $4.73

21.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.68 $2.68

10.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.80 $3.80

-30.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.42 $1.42

21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$24.66 $24.66

20.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.02 $1.02

46.08%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

28.98%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

-2.29%

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

$302 $302

$200 $200

51.09%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$93.5 $93.5

-25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$70.9 $70.9

20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$60.4 $60.4

28.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.20 $15.20

17.37%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,520 $1,520

95.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$24.8K $24.8K

25.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.7 $57.7

32.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.77 $24.77

118.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$82.3 $82.3

55.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$104 $104

58.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,266 $2,266

7.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,119 $2,119

-8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Golden, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Golden, CO

$2.1K 61.1% 8.9% $173

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Golden, CO

$424 12.2% 22.3% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Golden, CO

$364 10.5% 20.3% $93

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Golden, CO

$326 9.4% 18.5% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Golden, CO

$121 3.5% 36.5% $69

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Golden, CO

$22 * 0.6% 83.3% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Golden, CO

$91 2.6% 20% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,266 in Golden, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $66.0 in Golden, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $424 – making Golden, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Golden, CO

🕒 Local time

17:26 5:26 PM

18:26 6:26 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

20,399

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Golden, CO 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Golden, CO

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 Golden, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA, $3,466 in Golden, CO – roughly 9% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,199 in Golden, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Golden, CO, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,466 in Golden, CO. That's a gap of about 9%.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,520 in Golden, CO. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,466 in Golden, CO. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,466 in Golden, CO to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Golden, CO. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.