Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Hot Springs, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Hot Springs, AR: $1,720 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 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
83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Hot Springs, AR $1,720

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,576 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Hot Springs, AR $2,576

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,432 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Hot Springs, AR $3,432

Seattle, WA costs about 120% more than Hot Springs, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Hot Springs, AR sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Hot Springs, AR by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$16.83 $16.83

50.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$69.6 $69.6

44.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.35 $9.35

57.86%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.09 $5.09

27.70%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.86 $2.86

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.46 $1.46

115.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.10 $5.10

56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.14 $6.14

32.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.94 $0.94

24.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.05 $3.05

73.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.98 $1.98

223.23%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.27 $2.27

122.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.23 $11.23

66.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.46 $12.46

50.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.35 $19.35

18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.53 $3.53

71.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.33 $1.33

46.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.60 $3.60

53.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.78 $3.78

72.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.80 $1.80

93.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.67 $2.67

23.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.31 $2.31

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.07 $1.07

141.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.03 $9.03

38.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.83 $18.83

-21.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.51 $2.51

66.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.48 $4.48

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 $1.17

160.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$28.06 $28.06

277.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.23 $2.23

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.86 $0.86

63.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$17.2K $17.2K

113.67%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$22.5K $22.5K

18.04%

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

$308 $308

$174 $174

76.41%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$56.1 $56.1

23.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$39.93 $39.93

115.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.54 $34.54

121.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$9.86 $9.86

260.04%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$9.87 $9.87

82.57%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$609 $609

350.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.08 $40.08

97.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.48 $40.48

34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$98.9 $98.9

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$79.9 $79.9

98.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$717 $717

249.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$591 $591

228.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,068 $1,068

379.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$897 $897

294.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,947 $1,947

278.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,001 $2,001

150.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,558 $3,558

81.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.49

6.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Hot Springs, AR

$591 34.4% 69.5% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Hot Springs, AR

$362 21.1% 33.8% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Hot Springs, AR

$270 15.7% 41.6% $192

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Hot Springs, AR

$279 16.2% 31.4% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Hot Springs, AR

$117 6.8% 38.1% $72

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.7% 63.8% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Hot Springs, AR

$54 3.2% 51.7% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $717 in Hot Springs, AR. 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 82% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $70 in Hot Springs, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $362 – making Hot Springs, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🕒 Local time

04:31 4:31 AM

06:31 6:31 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

37,930

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Hot Springs, AR 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 120% more than Hot Springs, AR, 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 $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,580 in Hot Springs, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hot Springs, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $717 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $609 in Hot Springs, AR. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hot Springs, AR, where all-in costs run around $1,720, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Hot Springs, AR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Hot Springs, AR. 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.