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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $2,572 in Haines, AK.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $3,771 in Haines, AK.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $4,971 in Haines, AK.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 51% more expensive than in Haines, AK, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Haines, AK 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$20.38 $20.38

24.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$71.0 $71.0

42.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.24 $10.24

44.53%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$5.09 $5.09

30.26%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.42 $2.42

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.83 $1.83

61.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$6.72 $6.72

18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.66 $7.66

2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.04 $1.04

17.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.48 $3.48

47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.38 $4.38

40.64%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$4.73 $4.73

7.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$12.48 $12.48

70.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$11.42 $11.42

61.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$16.68 $16.68

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.32 $5.32

13.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.70 $1.70

10.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.39 $4.39

18.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$4.67 $4.67

36.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.15 $3.15

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.92 $2.92

13.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.15 $2.15

33.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.30 $2.30

15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$10.03 $10.03

38.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.79 $14.79

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.21 $2.21

88.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.29 $3.29

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.71 $1.71

73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.26 $3.26

-21.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.59 $1.59

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$32.62 $32.62

-9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.33 $1.33

9.77%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$38.4K $38.4K

-6.16%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$24.5K $24.5K

3.70%

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

$306 $306

$196 $196

56.02%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$56.6 $56.6

23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$70.2 $70.2

24.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$41.06 $41.06

94.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$15.92 $15.92

12.12%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$1,323 $1,323

128.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

21.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$54.0 $54.0

41.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$41.13 $41.13

30.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$99.9 $99.9

25.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$103 $103

58.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,603 $1,603

53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,284 $1,284

54.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$2,217 $2,217

120.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$2,152 $2,152

68.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$3,147 $3,147

134.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$2,347 $2,347

113.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.12

5.39%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Haines, AK: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $1,603 in Haines, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $71.0 in Haines, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $551 vs $403 per month, with Haines, AK 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 Haines, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haines, AK wins on cost – living expenses run 51% 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 $5,829 in Seattle, WA and $3,858 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: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $1,603 in Haines, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $1,323 in Haines, AK. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Haines, AK – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $101 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. Haines, AK 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 Haines, AK delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,572 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Haines, AK hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Haines, AK are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haines, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.