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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $3,033 in Helena, MT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $4,340 in Helena, MT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $5,647 in Helena, MT.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 18% more expensive than Helena, MT, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Helena, MT 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$19.88 $19.88

25.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$88.9 $88.9

34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.59 $13.59

2.28%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$4.98 $4.98

11.65%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.20 $2.20

39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.80 $1.80

37.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$4.95 $4.95

60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$6.53 $6.53

22.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.14 $1.14

17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.37 $4.37

15.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.66 $3.66

46.45%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$4.17 $4.17

58.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$31.62 $31.62

-19.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$9.39 $9.39

72.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$19.65 $19.65

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.84 $4.84

23.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.83 $1.83

49.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.57 $4.57

17.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$5.47 $5.47

20.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.17 $2.17

49.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.81 $1.81

109.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.73 $1.73

57.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.32 $2.32

9.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$10.32 $10.32

9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$13.26 $13.26

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.70 $1.70

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.49 $2.49

67.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.54 $3.54

-24.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$60.3 $60.3

61.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$9.81 $9.81

-72.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.32 $3.32

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$45.16 $45.16

-34.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$36.1K $36.1K

-7.00%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-16.43%

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

$266 $266

$363 $363

-26.54%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$76.2 $76.2

-20.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$91.7 $91.7

-16.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$49.11 $49.11

61.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

$15.13 $15.13

167.75%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$10.55 $10.55

53.74%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$1,910 $1,910

19.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$22.7K $22.7K

30.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$61.3 $61.3

13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$117 $117

-55.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$88.8 $88.8

34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,680 $1,680

41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$1,417 $1,417

31.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$2,609 $2,609

81.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$2,196 $2,196

59.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

$3,881 $3,881

98.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

$3,169 $3,169

69.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$6,879 $6,879

-5.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.71

-4.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Helena, MT: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $1,680 in Helena, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $89.0 in Helena, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $453 per month, with Helena, MT 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 Helena, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Helena, MT differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($3,583 vs $3,033 including rent). Helena, MT is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Helena, MT earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $1,680 in Helena, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,280 in Seattle, WA versus $1,910 in Helena, MT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Helena, MT 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Helena, MT 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 Helena, MT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.