Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Houston, MO: $2,698 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Houston, MO
Learn more

Houston, MO Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Houston, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Houston, MO

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 Houston, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,698 in Houston, MO.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Houston, MO $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,946 in Houston, MO.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Houston, MO $3,946

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,195 in Houston, MO.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Houston, MO $5,195

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 40% more expensive than in Houston, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Houston, MO 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$17.96 $17.96

36.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$78.0 $78.0

25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.87 $11.87

24.60%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.20 $5.20

25.38%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.35 $2.35

37.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.69 $1.69

87.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.59 $5.59

40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.20 $7.20

11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.24 $1.24

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.75 $3.75

37.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.62 $5.62

7.65%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.05 $4.05

20.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.42 $13.42

42.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$15.45 $15.45

22.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$20.46 $20.46

13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$8.25 $8.25

-27.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.40 $2.40

-19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.69 $5.69

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.35 $5.35

22.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.19 $4.19

-13.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.98 $4.98

-33.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.77 $2.77

0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.85 $2.85

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.25 $8.25

47.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.94 $14.94

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.90 $2.90

45.52%

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

$1.90 $1.90

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.55 $3.55

-25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.57 $1.57

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$40.60 $40.60

-26.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.93 $0.93

60.22%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.3K $28.3K

26.99%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

2.31%

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

$302 $302

$239 $239

26.16%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$69.9 $69.9

0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$76.3 $76.3

11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$44.69 $44.69

74.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.96 $13.96

27.79%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,406 $1,406

111.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.4K $23.4K

33.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$58.8 $58.8

30.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.65 $40.65

32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.9 $89.9

42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$119 $119

37.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,361 $1,361

79.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,290 $1,290

50.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,511 $2,511

88.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,115 $2,115

63.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,461 $2,461

199.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,601 $2,601

97.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Houston, MO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Houston, MO

$1.3K 47.8% 33.7% $657

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Houston, MO

$491 18.2% 9.9% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Houston, MO

$386 14.3% 15.7% $72

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Houston, MO

$300 11.1% 24.9% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Houston, MO

$139 5.2% 27% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Houston, MO

$19 * 0.7% 85.3% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Houston, MO

$73 2.7% 36% $41

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 $1,361 in Houston, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $78.0 in Houston, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $491 per month, with Houston, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Houston, MO

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

05:51 5:51 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

2,304,580

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Houston, MO 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Houston, MO

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 Houston, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, MO is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,673 in Seattle, WA and $4,047 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,361 in Houston, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,406 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

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 40% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.