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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,509 in Houston, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,690 in Houston, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,871 in Houston, MO.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 43% more expensive than Houston, MO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Houston, MO 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$12.02 $12.02

106.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$86.2 $86.2

36.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$11.20 $11.20

22.95%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.61 $5.61

1.78%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.60 $2.60

17.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.15 $2.15

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.83 $5.83

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.31 $6.31

24.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.13 $1.13

19.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.22 $3.22

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.40 $6.40

-15.78%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.85 $4.85

41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$18.36 $18.36

36.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$16.18 $16.18

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.18 $16.18

27.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.59 $4.59

33.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.29 $1.29

118.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.61 $3.61

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.78 $2.78

142.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.32 $2.32

35.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.64 $2.64

44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.81 $1.81

48.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.66 $2.66

-0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$9.96 $9.96

16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.88 $14.88

5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.88 $1.88

55.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.03 $3.03

39.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.05 $2.05

37.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.48 $3.48

-25.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.54 $1.54

11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$28.64 $28.64

5.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.72 $0.72

65.28%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$30.5K $30.5K

7.16%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$34.0K $34.0K

-23.18%

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

$263 $263

$192 $192

36.80%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$47.71 $47.71

27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$49.55 $49.55

53.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.17 $42.17

88.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.90 $14.90

9.19%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,322 $1,322

72.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

24.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$48.22 $48.22

42.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$39.69 $39.69

30.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$67.6 $67.6

71.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$68.7 $68.7

108.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,593 $1,593

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,365 $1,365

36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,632 $2,632

75.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,235 $2,235

55.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,693 $2,693

188.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,624 $2,624

99.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.56

-2.13%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Houston, MO: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,593 in Houston, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $86.0 in Houston, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $429 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,397 in Seattle, WA and $3,763 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,593 in Houston, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,322 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 $86.0 versus $118 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 43% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.