Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Houston, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Houston, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,671 in Houston, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,970 in Houston, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $5,268 in Houston, MO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 44% more expensive than in Houston, MO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Houston, MO 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$17.71 $17.71

39.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$77.7 $77.7

27.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$11.83 $11.83

27.56%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.23 $5.23

26.58%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.50 $2.50

25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.67 $1.67

78.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$5.66 $5.66

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.90 $6.90

13.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.84 $3.84

35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.94 $5.94

7.74%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$4.01 $4.01

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$13.15 $13.15

63.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$15.69 $15.69

18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$20.79 $20.79

10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$8.47 $8.47

-31.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.33 $2.33

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.60 $5.60

-3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.16 $5.16

22.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.25 $4.25

-10.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.88 $4.88

-33.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.84 $2.84

1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.90 $2.90

-6.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$7.93 $7.93

78.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.25 $15.25

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.83 $2.83

54.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.39 $3.39

69.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.83 $1.83

67.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.60 $3.60

-28.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.53 $1.53

7.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$40.77 $40.77

-26.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.88 $0.88

56.82%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.6K $35.6K

2.40%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

-0.35%

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

$296 $296

$247 $247

19.82%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$69.9 $69.9

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$75.3 $75.3

16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$43.25 $43.25

88.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$13.93 $13.93

31.59%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,410 $1,410

117.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.2K $24.2K

26.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$59.7 $59.7

28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$43.36 $43.36

24.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.0 $88.0

45.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$119 $119

39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,354 $1,354

78.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,315 $1,315

46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,474 $2,474

92.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,124 $2,124

68.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,441 $2,441

203.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,345 $2,345

115.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.09

5.42%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Houston, MO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,354 in Houston, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $78.0 in Houston, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $496 per month, with Houston, MO cheaper across the board.

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 Houston, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,754 in Seattle, WA and $4,007 in Houston, MO to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,354 in Houston, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $1,410 in Houston, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Houston, MO – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,671 in Houston, MO versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Houston, MO but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Houston, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Houston, MO 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.

Expats usually find Houston, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.