Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Houma, LA

For one person, living is cheaper in Houma, LA: $2,071 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 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
99

Cost of Living Index in Houma, LA
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Houma, LA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Houma, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,071

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Houma, LA

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 Houma, LA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,071 in Houma, LA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Houma, LA $2,071

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,003 in Houma, LA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Houma, LA $3,003

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,936 in Houma, LA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Houma, LA $3,936

Seattle, WA costs about 83% more than Houma, LA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Houma, LA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Houma, LA by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.83 $19.83

27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$49.72 $49.72

102.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.16 $12.16

21.38%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.37 $5.37

21.04%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.14 $2.14

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.65 $1.65

90.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.09 $3.09

157.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.93 $4.93

64.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.13 $1.13

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.92 $3.92

35.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.10 $5.10

25.49%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$1.72 $1.72

194.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.23 $10.23

82.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.26 $10.26

82.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.25 $15.25

50.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.28 $5.28

14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.29 $1.29

51.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.31 $5.31

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.03 $4.03

61.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.06 $2.06

69.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.14 $3.14

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.95 $1.95

43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.64 $8.64

44.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.87 $12.87

15.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.48 $2.48

68.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.83 $3.83

51.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.45 $3.45

-25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.45 $1.45

13.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$34.46 $34.46

-12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.89 $0.89

58.43%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$33.0K $33.0K

11.46%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.05%

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

$308 $308

$151 $151

103.88%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$72.1 $72.1

-4.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$47.11 $47.11

82.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$27.18 $27.18

181.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.32 $12.32

46.27%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,553 $1,553

76.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$10.4K $10.4K

193.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.2 $56.2

40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.54 $43.54

24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$85.4 $85.4

48.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$120 $120

32.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,043 $1,043

140.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$924 $924

109.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,564 $1,564

227.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,448 $1,448

144.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,438 $1,438

412.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,483 $1,483

237.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,802 $3,802

70.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

72.25%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Houma, LA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Houma, LA

$924 44.6% 52.4% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Houma, LA

$378 18.2% 31% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Houma, LA

$270 13% 41.7% $193

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Houma, LA

$300 14.5% 26.1% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Houma, LA

$137 6.6% 27.2% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Houma, LA

$11 * 0.5% 91.7% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Houma, LA

$52 2.5% 53.9% $61

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,043 in Houma, LA. 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, 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 $50 in Houma, LA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $378 – making Houma, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Houma, LA

🕒 Local time

11:00 11:00 AM

13:00 1:00 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

32,657

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Houma, LA 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Houma, LA

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 Houma, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,107 in Houma, LA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Houma, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,043 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,071 in Houma, LA. That’s a gap of about 83%.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,553 in Houma, LA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Houma, LA, where all-in costs run around $2,071, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Houma, LA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Houma, LA – 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 Houma, LA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.