Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hays, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Hays, KS: $1,737 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 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
85

Cost of Living Index in Hays, KS
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Hays, KS Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Hays, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,737

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hays, KS

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 Hays, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,737 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Hays, KS $1,737

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,467 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Hays, KS $2,467

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,198 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Hays, KS $3,198

Seattle, WA costs about 118% more than Hays, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Hays, KS sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Hays, KS by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$13.33 $13.33

83.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$43.87 $43.87

123.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$8.11 $8.11

82.37%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$3.98 $3.98

63.82%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.39 $2.39

35.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.02 $1.02

210.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.85 $3.85

103.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.33 $4.33

85.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.76 $0.76

59.21%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.26 $2.26

127.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.46 $4.46

35.65%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.06 $2.06

136.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$4.46 $4.46

330.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.93 $8.93

111.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$13.33 $13.33

74.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.04 $6.04

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.64 $1.64

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.06 $5.06

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.42 $4.42

48.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.93 $2.93

23.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.17 $2.17

52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.97 $1.97

41.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.03 $2.03

23.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.68 $9.68

25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$12.15 $12.15

22.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.23 $2.23

89.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.85 $3.85

49.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.01 $2.01

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.43 $2.43

9.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.57 $1.57

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$39.71 $39.71

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.92 $0.92

61.96%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.86%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.13%

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

$302 $302

$269 $269

12.34%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$34.85 $34.85

101.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$68.8 $68.8

23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$45.17 $45.17

72.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.21 $15.21

17.29%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$922 $922

222.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$15.7K $15.7K

98.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$23.68 $23.68

223.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$31.82 $31.82

69.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$110 $110

16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$138 $138

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$793 $793

208.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$589 $589

230.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,034 $1,034

358.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$895 $895

287.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,386 $2,386

208.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,615 $2,615

96.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$2,386 $2,386

172.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.65

3.61%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hays, KS: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Hays, KS

$589 33.9% 69.7% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Hays, KS

$325 18.7% 40.4% $220

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Hays, KS

$372 21.4% 18.6% $85

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Hays, KS

$220 12.7% 44.9% $179

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Hays, KS

$136 7.9% 28.3% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Hays, KS

$18 * 1.1% 85.8% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Hays, KS

$76 4.4% 33.4% $38

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 $793 in Hays, KS. 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 173% 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 $44.00 in Hays, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $325 – making Hays, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Hays, KS

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

01:01 1:01 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

19,726

💱 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 Hays, KS 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Hays, KS

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 Hays, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 118%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,605 in Hays, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $44.00 in Hays, KS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Hays, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,737, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Hays, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hays, KS – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Hays, KS. 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.