Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Independence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $2,034 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,034

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,034 in Independence, KS.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Independence, KS $2,034

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,012 in Independence, KS.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Independence, KS $3,012

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $3,990 in Independence, KS.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Independence, KS $3,990

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 85% more expensive than in Independence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Independence, KS 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.98 $19.98

19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$74.8 $74.8

31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.47 $11.47

30.25%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.41 $5.41

25.51%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.71 $2.71

19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.02 $2.02

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.83 $5.83

40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.34 $7.34

7.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.01 $1.01

15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.60 $3.60

46.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.02 $4.02

43.28%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.05 $4.05

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.21 $12.21

65.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$12.46 $12.46

44.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.26 $17.26

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.16 $5.16

15.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.59 $1.59

18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.49 $4.49

19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.22 $4.22

55.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.70 $2.70

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.82 $2.82

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.11 $2.11

36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.30 $2.30

5.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.27 $10.27

18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.08 $15.08

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.00 $2.00

119.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.53 $3.53

66.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.24 $2.24

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$64.7 $64.7

68.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.19 $3.19

-21.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.96 $1.96

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.80 $30.80

-3.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.00 $1.00

51.00%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$28.4K $28.4K

27.39%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

-2.13%

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

$289 $289

$201 $201

43.56%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$57.3 $57.3

20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$69.1 $69.1

22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$39.52 $39.52

75.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.95 $13.95

28.82%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,389 $1,389

102.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$21.2K $21.2K

107.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$53.6 $53.6

69.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$44.07 $44.07

24.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.9 $89.9

41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$112 $112

44.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,591 $1,591

62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$695 $695

179.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,539 $2,539

100.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,051 $1,051

237.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,430 $2,430

202.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,663 $2,663

84.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$5,237 $5,237

23.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Independence, KS: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Independence, KS

$695 34.2% 64.2% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Independence, KS

$401 19.7% 26.3% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Independence, KS

$328 16.1% 26% $115

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Independence, KS

$322 15.8% 19.4% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Independence, KS

$135 6.6% 31.2% $61

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Independence, KS

$87 4.3% 34.5% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Independence, KS

$67 3.3% 36% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,591 in Independence, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 23% 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: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $75 in Independence, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $401 per month, with Independence, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🕒 Local time

06:41 6:41 AM

08:41 8:41 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

117,213

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Independence, KS 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Independence, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,591 in Independence, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Independence, KS – a meal for two runs $75 versus $99 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. Independence, KS is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Independence, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.