Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Idaho Falls, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Idaho Falls, ID: $2,315 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Idaho Falls, ID
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Idaho Falls, ID Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Idaho Falls, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,315 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Idaho Falls, ID $2,315

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,380 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Idaho Falls, ID $3,380

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,446 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Idaho Falls, ID $4,446

Seattle, WA costs about 64% more than Idaho Falls, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Idaho Falls, ID sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Idaho Falls, ID by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.72 $17.72

42.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$51.9 $51.9

94.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.09 $10.09

46.28%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.02 $5.02

29.48%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.27 $2.27

41.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.55 $1.55

102.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.11 $4.11

93.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.10 $7.10

14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.72 $0.72

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.92 $3.92

35.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.97 $2.97

115.49%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.12 $4.12

22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.68 $11.68

60.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$6.41 $6.41

192.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$9.79 $9.79

133.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.18 $2.18

177.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.26 $1.26

54.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.07 $2.07

166.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$2.14 $2.14

204.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.68 $1.68

107.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.46 $2.46

33.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.86 $1.86

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.88 $1.88

37.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.36 $10.36

20.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$7.34 $7.34

102.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.77 $1.77

136.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.53 $1.53

279.08%

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

$2.53 $2.53

1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.35 $2.35

-30.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$25.09 $25.09

20.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.11 $1.11

27.03%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$34.3K $34.3K

7.34%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.69%

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

$308 $308

$173 $173

78.11%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$52.7 $52.7

31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$63.9 $63.9

34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$38.67 $38.67

97.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.42 $11.42

57.79%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$957 $957

186.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$20.6K $20.6K

48.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$41.75 $41.75

89.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.87 $44.87

21.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$70.2 $70.2

80.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$96.4 $96.4

64.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,323 $1,323

89.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,266 $1,266

53.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,073 $2,073

146.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,207 $2,207

60.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,923 $1,923

283.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,946 $1,946

157.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,499 $3,499

84.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.12

12.58%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Idaho Falls, ID

$1.3K 54.7% 34.7% $673

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Idaho Falls, ID

$275 11.9% 49.7% $272

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Idaho Falls, ID

$289 12.5% 37.5% $174

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Idaho Falls, ID

$282 12.2% 30.5% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Idaho Falls, ID

$114 4.9% 39.6% $75

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Idaho Falls, ID

$26 * 1.1% 79.5% $103

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Idaho Falls, ID

$62 2.7% 45.3% $51

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 $1,323 in Idaho Falls, ID. 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 85% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $52 in Idaho Falls, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $275 – making Idaho Falls, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID

🕒 Local time

14:38 2:38 PM

15:38 3:38 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

61,459

💱 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 Idaho Falls, ID 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 64%, 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 $3,472 in Idaho Falls, ID. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Idaho Falls, ID, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,323 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,315 in Idaho Falls, ID. That makes Idaho Falls, ID about 39% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $957 in Idaho Falls, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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