Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hay River, NT

For one person, living is cheaper in Hay River, NT: $2,228 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Hay River, NT
Learn more

Hay River, NT Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Hay River, NT

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,228 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Hay River, NT $2,228

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,228 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Hay River, NT $3,228

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,227 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Hay River, NT $4,227

Seattle, WA costs about 70% more than Hay River, NT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Hay River, NT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Hay River, NT by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$17.76 CA$25.11

38.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$64.5 CA$91.1

52.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.38 CA$14.67

42.49%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$3.54 CA$5.01

84.18%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.03 CA$2.87

59.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.60 CA$2.27

98.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.28 CA$7.46

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.67 CA$8.01

41.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.00 CA$2.82

-39.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.50 CA$3.53

105.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.28 CA$4.63

84.45%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.44 CA$4.86

41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$10.04 CA$14.19

91.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.38 CA$16.09

66.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.79 CA$20.91

57.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.71 CA$5.24

61.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.32 CA$1.87

46.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.74 CA$5.29

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.79 CA$5.35

73.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.45 CA$3.46

47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.25 CA$3.17

47.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.42 CA$3.42

14.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.62 CA$2.29

54.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.17 CA$20.03

-14.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$12.77 CA$18.05

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.63 CA$3.72

60.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.10 CA$4.38

86.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.26 CA$3.20

30.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$62.1 CA$87.7

71.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.79 CA$3.95

-5.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.46 CA$2.07

17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$22.52 CA$31.83

31.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.15 CA$1.62

29.57%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.0K CA$39.6K

28.23%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$19.1K CA$27.1K

37.09%

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

$302 $302

$131 CA$186

129.62%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$37.62 CA$53.2

86.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$52.7 CA$74.4

61.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.43 CA$57.2

92.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$18.00 CA$25.45

92.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$10.86 CA$15.35

64.27%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$760 CA$1,074

291.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$13.1K CA$18.5K

139.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$52.6 CA$74.4

45.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$38.34 CA$54.2

40.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$83.9 CA$119

52.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$104 CA$147

58.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,130 CA$1,597

116.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,120 CA$1,584

73.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,928 CA$2,725

146.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,716 CA$2,426

102.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$4,164 CA$5,887

76.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$3,582 CA$5,065

43.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,273 CA$6,041

52.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

4.66

47.85%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hay River, NT: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Hay River, NT

$1.1K 50.3% 42.5% $826

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Hay River, NT

$349 15.7% 36% $196

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Hay River, NT

$222 10% 51.5% $236

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Hay River, NT

$268 12% 32.9% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Hay River, NT

$125 5.6% 34.1% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Hay River, NT

$81 3.7% 37.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Hay River, NT

$62 2.8% 45.2% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,130 in Hay River, NT. 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 52% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $64.0 in Hay River, NT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $349 – making Hay River, NT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇨🇦 Hay River, NT

🕒 Local time

09:20 9:20 AM

10:20 10:20 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

3,600

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Hay River, NT 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 70% more than Hay River, NT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,342 in Hay River, NT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hay River, NT, 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 $2,228 in Hay River, NT. That's a gap of about 70%.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Hay River, NT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hay River, NT, where all-in costs run around $2,228, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Hay River, NT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hay River, NT costs $2,228 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Hay River, NT. 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.