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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,539 in Seattle, WA versus $2,615 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,510 in Seattle, WA versus $3,989 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,481 in Seattle, WA versus $5,363 in Houston, TX.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 35% more expensive than Houston, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 163% above, Houston, TX 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$19.79 $19.79

27.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$81.0 $81.0

48.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.79 $13.79

$10.09 $10.09

36.67%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$5.54 $5.54

1.26%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.73 $2.73

9.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.14 $2.14

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.04 $6.04

29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$6.98 $6.98

13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.94 $0.94

44.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.13 $3.13

55.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$3.60 $3.60

47.50%

Eggs

$6.61 $6.61

$4.17 $4.17

58.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.48 $24.48

$12.71 $12.71

92.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$11.97 $11.97

33.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.57 $20.57

$17.55 $17.55

17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$4.22 $4.22

44.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.39 $1.39

107.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.00 $4.00

39.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.61 $2.61

158.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.79 $2.79

14.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.28 $2.28

66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.86 $1.86

46.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.25 $2.25

16.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.71 $11.71

$9.80 $9.80

19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$12.43 $12.43

27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.01 $2.01

41.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.82 $3.82

14.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.28 $1.28

110.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 $98.9

$73.7 $73.7

34.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.83 $3.83

-31.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.90 $1.90

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.86 $29.86

$30.52 $30.52

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.78 $0.78

46.15%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$32.4K $32.4K

0.56%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.34%

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

$264 $264

$197 $197

34.21%

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

$60.6 $60.6

$62.3 $62.3

-2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 $76.1

$64.8 $64.8

17.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

$38.32 $38.32

103.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.01 $40.01

$10.96 $10.96

265.05%

Cinema Ticket

$16.19 $16.19

$15.13 $15.13

7.01%

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

$2,253 $2,253

$1,272 $1,272

77.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$19.3K $19.3K

54.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 $70.5

$45.67 $45.67

54.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 $51.8

$44.09 $44.09

17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$98.0 $98.0

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$124 $124

14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 $2,381

$1,643 $1,643

44.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 $1,887

$1,269 $1,269

48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,752 $4,752

$3,061 $3,061

55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,585 $3,585

$2,413 $2,413

48.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,850 $7,850

$2,525 $2,525

210.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,213 $5,213

$1,920 $1,920

171.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,446 $6,446

$4,608 $4,608

39.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.44

-0.31%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 13, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,381 in Seattle, WA and $1,643 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 40% 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: $120 in Seattle, WA vs $81 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $543 vs $371 per month, with Houston, TX 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, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Houston, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 40% more on average, 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: $2,381 in Seattle, WA versus $1,643 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Houston, TX – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $120 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Houston, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Houston, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,615 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Houston, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Houston, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.