Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hamilton, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamilton, MT: $2,220 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton, MT
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Hamilton, MT Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Hamilton, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,220

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hamilton, MT

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 Hamilton, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,220 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Hamilton, MT $2,220

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,644 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Hamilton, MT $3,644

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,068 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Hamilton, MT $5,068

Seattle, WA costs about 69% more than Hamilton, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Hamilton, MT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Hamilton, MT by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$37.54 $37.54

-36.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$69.0 $69.0

43.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.34 $11.34

31.75%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.25 $5.25

29.33%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.71 $2.71

19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.98 $1.98

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.12 $6.12

34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.06 $7.06

11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.99 $0.99

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.49 $3.49

51.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.56 $4.56

26.32%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.18 $4.18

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.30 $12.30

64.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$12.43 $12.43

44.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$19.15 $19.15

21.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.96 $5.96

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.29 $1.29

46.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.84 $3.84

39.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.63 $4.63

41.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.77 $2.77

22.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.39 $3.39

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.10 $2.10

37.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.18 $2.18

11.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.94 $10.94

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.18 $15.18

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.13 $2.13

105.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.51 $3.51

67.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.03 $2.03

45.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$62.3 $62.3

75.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.13 $3.13

-19.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.83 $1.83

-6.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$32.18 $32.18

-7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.03 $1.03

46.60%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

22.39%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.76%

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

$289 $289

$202 $202

43.05%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$58.9 $58.9

17.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$89.5 $89.5

-5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$40.28 $40.28

72.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.00 $13.00

38.23%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,307 $1,307

115.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$22.7K $22.7K

93.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$53.0 $53.0

72.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.47 $47.47

15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$88.2 $88.2

44.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$115 $115

41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,172 $1,172

120.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$713 $713

172.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,379 $2,379

114.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,802 $1,802

96.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,261 $2,261

225.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,356 $2,356

108.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,528 $3,528

82.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.29

-6.72%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Hamilton, MT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Hamilton, MT

$713 32.1% 63.3% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Hamilton, MT

$410 18.5% 24.6% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Hamilton, MT

$350 15.8% 20.9% $92

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Hamilton, MT

$461 20.8% 15.5% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Hamilton, MT

$137 6.2% 30.3% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Hamilton, MT

$83 3.7% 37.5% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Hamilton, MT

$66 3% 37.1% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,172 in Hamilton, MT. 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 83% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $69 in Hamilton, MT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $410 – making Hamilton, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Hamilton, MT

🕒 Local time

18:15 6:15 PM

19:15 7:15 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

62,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Hamilton, MT 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Hamilton, MT

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 Hamilton, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA, $2,220 in Hamilton, MT – Hamilton, MT comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,330 in Hamilton, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamilton, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,172 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,220 in Hamilton, MT. That makes Hamilton, MT about 41% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Hamilton, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hamilton, MT, where all-in costs run around $2,220, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Hamilton, MT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hamilton, MT – 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 Hamilton, MT. 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.