Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hilo, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilo, HI: $2,865 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 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
136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hilo, HI

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 Hilo, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,865 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Hilo, HI $2,865

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,388 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Hilo, HI $4,388

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,910 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Hilo, HI $5,910

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Hilo, HI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Hilo, HI by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$20.77 $20.77

14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$79.9 $79.9

23.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.17 $12.17

22.76%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.63 $5.63

20.60%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.90 $2.90

11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.42 $2.42

30.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.32 $6.32

29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.57 $7.57

3.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.75 $1.75

-33.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$10.08 $10.08

-47.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.28 $4.28

34.58%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$7.07 $7.07

-30.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$19.98 $19.98

1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$17.57 $17.57

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$30.15 $30.15

-22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$8.57 $8.57

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.39 $2.39

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$10.48 $10.48

-48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$12.21 $12.21

-46.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$9.04 $9.04

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$7.81 $7.81

-63.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$5.36 $5.36

-46.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.02 $3.02

-19.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.90 $11.90

2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$22.03 $22.03

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.76 $1.76

148.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.95 $2.95

-14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.00 $2.00

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$23.57 $23.57

26.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.41 $1.41

7.09%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

41.86%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.29%

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

$289 $289

$302 $302

-4.37%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$67.7 $67.7

2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$125 $125

-32.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$37.04 $37.04

87.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$25.30 $25.30

38.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.24 $13.24

35.73%

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

$2,819 $2,819

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$11.8K $11.8K

271.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$36.77 $36.77

147.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$29.88 $29.88

84.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$66.8 $66.8

90.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$83.9 $83.9

93.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,463 $1,463

76.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,142 $1,142

70.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,574 $2,574

98.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,199 $2,199

61.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$5,600 $5,600

31.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$4,662 $4,662

5.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,795 $3,795

69.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.62

2.72%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Hilo, HI: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.9% 41.2% $800

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Hilo, HI

$715 * 25% 31.5% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Hilo, HI

$495 17.3% 11.8% $52

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Hilo, HI

$338 11.8% 15.2% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Hilo, HI

$98 3.4% 50.1% $98

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Hilo, HI

$13 * 0.5% 90.2% $119

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Hilo, HI

$64 2.2% 39.7% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,463 in Hilo, HI. 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 70% 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 $80 in Hilo, HI. Groceries tell a different story – $544 in Seattle, WA vs $715 in Hilo, HI – so Seattle, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🕒 Local time

03:29 3:29 AM

01:29 1:29 AM

2 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

44,186

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Hilo, HI 4,280 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Hilo, HI

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 Hilo, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,297 in Hilo, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilo, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,463 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,865 in Hilo, HI. That makes Hilo, HI about 24% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Seattle, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,865 in Hilo, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,865 in Hilo, HI to $3,762 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Hilo, HI. 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.