Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Houghton, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Houghton, MI: $2,736 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Houghton, MI
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Houghton, MI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Houghton, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,736

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Houghton, MI $2,736

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,593 in Houghton, MI.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Houghton, MI $3,593

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,449 in Houghton, MI.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Houghton, MI $4,449

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Houghton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Houghton, MI 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$13.78 $13.78

77.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$39.55 $39.55

148.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.37 $10.37

42.62%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.13 $4.13

57.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.78 $2.78

16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.62 $1.62

95.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.94 $5.94

32.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.38 $7.38

8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.00 $1.00

21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.18 $4.18

22.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.34 $6.34

-4.57%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.94 $3.94

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.31 $12.31

55.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.79 $10.79

75.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$10.97 $10.97

112.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.09 $5.09

17.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.18 $1.18

63.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.25 $4.25

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.77 $4.77

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.80 $2.80

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.01 $3.01

9.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.21 $2.21

25.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.47 $1.47

70.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.18 $10.18

19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.99 $14.99

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.95 $1.95

116.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.28 $3.28

75.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.02 $3.02

-12.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.49 $1.49

15.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.22 $29.22

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.81 $0.81

83.95%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

42.83%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.4K $25.4K

3.41%

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

$302 $302

$280 $280

7.68%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$57.6 $57.6

21.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.1 $69.1

23.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.96 $36.96

110.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.18 $14.18

25.81%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,249 $1,249

138.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$22.9K $22.9K

36.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$53.7 $53.7

42.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.58 $41.58

29.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.0 $87.0

47.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$108 $108

51.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,833 $1,833

33.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,484 $1,484

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,318 $2,318

104.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,967 $1,967

76.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,546 $1,546

376.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,550 $1,550

230.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$2,603 $2,603

149.95%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Houghton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Houghton, MI

$1.5K 54.2% 23.7% $462

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Houghton, MI

$377 13.8% 30.9% $168

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Houghton, MI

$407 14.9% 11% $50

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Houghton, MI

$253 9.3% 36.7% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Houghton, MI

$131 4.8% 31.3% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Houghton, MI

$19 * 0.7% 85.6% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Houghton, MI

$65 2.4% 42.5% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 150% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $40.00 in Houghton, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $377 per month, with Houghton, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Houghton, MI

🕒 Local time

08:07 8:07 AM

11:07 11:07 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Houghton, MI 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Houghton, MI

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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 Houghton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houghton, MI is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 150% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Houghton, MI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Houghton, MI is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Houghton, MI 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 Houghton, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.