Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Haines, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Haines, AK: $2,570 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Haines, AK
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Haines, AK Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Haines, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Haines, AK

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 Haines, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,570 in Haines, AK.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Haines, AK $2,570

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,869 in Haines, AK.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Haines, AK $3,869

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,167 in Haines, AK.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Haines, AK $5,167

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Haines, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Haines, AK 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.66 $19.66

28.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.4 $80.4

25.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.06 $10.06

46.72%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.26 $5.26

23.57%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.05 $3.05

5.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.80 $1.80

74.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.40 $5.40

47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.89 $6.89

18.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.00 $1.00

17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.08 $4.08

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.82 $3.82

67.54%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.00 $4.00

26.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.76 $10.76

73.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.90 $12.90

45.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.63 $19.63

16.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.42 $4.42

37.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.83 $1.83

6.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.27 $4.27

29.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.70 $4.70

38.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.57 $2.57

35.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.72 $2.72

20.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.86 $1.86

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.27 $11.27

10.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.40 $16.40

-9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.16 $2.16

93.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.75 $3.75

54.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.13 $2.13

43.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$52.5 $52.5

101.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.94 $2.94

-12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.93 $1.93

-15.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$32.67 $32.67

-7.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.37 $1.37

2.92%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.0K $24.0K

53.02%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.8K $27.8K

-4.38%

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

$308 $308

$197 $197

56.31%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.3 $58.3

18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.0 $70.0

22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$39.43 $39.43

93.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.25 $14.25

26.46%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,277 $1,277

115.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

16.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.9 $56.9

39.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.05 $39.05

39.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$99.1 $99.1

28.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$97.9 $97.9

62.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,543 $1,543

62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,255 $1,255

54.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,861 $2,861

78.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,238 $2,238

58.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,139 $3,139

134.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,002 $2,002

149.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

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 Haines, AK: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Haines, AK

$1.3K 48.8% 35.3% $684

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Haines, AK

$406 15.8% 25.7% $141

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Haines, AK

$325 12.7% 29.8% $138

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Haines, AK

$311 12.1% 23.5% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Haines, AK

$132 5.1% 30.1% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Haines, AK

$74 2.9% 42.9% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Haines, AK

$68 2.6% 39.6% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,543 in Haines, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $80 in Haines, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $406 per month, with Haines, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Haines, AK

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

08:03 8:03 AM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

1,713

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Haines, AK 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Haines, AK

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 Haines, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haines, AK wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Haines, AK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $3,856 in Haines, AK to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,543 in Haines, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,570 in Haines, AK – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haines, AK runs roughly 50% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Haines, AK 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 Haines, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.