Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hilton, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilton, NY: $2,744 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Hilton, NY, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Hilton, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,744
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hilton, NY

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 Hilton, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,744 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Hilton, NY $2,744

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,925 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Hilton, NY $3,925

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,106 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Hilton, NY $5,106

Seattle, WA costs about 38% more than Hilton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Hilton, NY sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Hilton, NY by 102%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$20.57 $20.57
22.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$65.9 $65.9
53.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$13.04 $13.04
13.19%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$5.71 $5.71
13.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$2.65 $2.65
21.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.83 $1.83
71.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$5.55 $5.55
43.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$7.29 $7.29
11.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.05 $1.05
11.43%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$3.80 $3.80
39.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$3.78 $3.78
69.31%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$4.68 $4.68
8.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$12.85 $12.85
45.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$12.45 $12.45
50.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$16.80 $16.80
36.19%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$4.65 $4.65
30.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.40 $1.40
39.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$4.41 $4.41
24.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$4.71 $4.71
38.43%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.62 $2.62
33.21%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.82 $2.82
16.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.13 $2.13
31.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.55 $2.55
1.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$11.49 $11.49
8.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$12.88 $12.88
15.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.22 $2.22
88.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$3.23 $3.23
79.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$1.89 $1.89
61.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$61.2 $61.2
73.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.34 $3.34
-22.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.99 $1.99
-17.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$27.17 $27.17
10.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$0.99 $0.99
42.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$28.0K $28.0K
31.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$29.5K $29.5K
-9.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$208 $208
48.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$57.4 $57.4
20.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$64.3 $64.3
33.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$44.88 $44.88
70.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$15.51 $15.51
16.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$1,422 $1,422
93.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$25.0K $25.0K
22.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$59.9 $59.9
32.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$44.18 $44.18
22.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$98.4 $98.4
28.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$126 $126
26.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$1,577 $1,577
59.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$1,375 $1,375
41.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$2,308 $2,308
121.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$2,146 $2,146
65.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$2,960 $2,960
149.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$2,602 $2,602
92.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Hilton, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.57
4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hilton, NY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Hilton, NY
$1.4K 29.1% $564
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Hilton, NY
$402 26.4% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Hilton, NY
$329 28.9% $134
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Hilton, NY
$332 18.2% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Hilton, NY
$148 21.8% $41
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Hilton, NY
$82 36.3% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Hilton, NY
$76 32.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,577 in Hilton, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $66 in Hilton, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $402 – making Hilton, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Hilton, NY
🕒 Local time
23:25 11:25 PM
02:25 2:25 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
6,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.897 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Hilton, NY 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Hilton, NY

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 Hilton, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Seattle, WA or Hilton, NY?
Seattle, WA costs about 38% more than Hilton, NY, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Seattle, WA and in Hilton, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,116 in Hilton, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Seattle, WA or Hilton, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilton, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,577 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.
How do dining costs compare in Seattle, WA and in Hilton, NY?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $66 in Hilton, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Seattle, WA compared to Hilton, NY?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,744 in Hilton, NY. That makes Hilton, NY about 27% cheaper.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Seattle, WA or in Hilton, NY?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,744 in Hilton, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Hilton, NY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Hilton, NY is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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