Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, MO: $2,107 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Independence, MO
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Independence, MO Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Independence, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Independence, 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 Independence, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,107 in Independence, MO.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Independence, MO $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,070 in Independence, MO.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Independence, MO $3,070

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,033 in Independence, MO.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Independence, MO $4,033

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 79% more expensive than in Independence, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Independence, MO 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.09 $20.09

22.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$77.2 $77.2

27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.67 $12.67

16.73%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.15 $5.15

26.60%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.73 $2.73

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.96 $1.96

61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.03 $7.03

11.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.38 $7.38

8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.10 $1.10

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.17 $3.17

62.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.40 $4.40

37.50%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.27 $4.27

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.44 $11.44

67.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$9.61 $9.61

96.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$13.69 $13.69

70.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.51 $4.51

32.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.56 $1.56

23.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.41 $4.41

19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.18 $4.18

57.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.12 $3.12

16.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.84 $2.84

16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.93 $1.93

44.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.11 $2.11

18.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$7.96 $7.96

53.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.81 $1.81

133.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.97 $3.97

45.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.49 $2.49

6.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.26 $1.26

36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$25.39 $25.39

17.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.98 $0.98

52.04%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$32.2K $32.2K

11.56%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.93%

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

$302 $302

$252 $252

19.97%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$64.3 $64.3

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$72.0 $72.0

18.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.87 $14.87

19.97%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$962 $962

209.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$19.4K $19.4K

60.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$58.8 $58.8

30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.72 $39.72

36.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$95.2 $95.2

34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$123 $123

33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,004 $1,004

143.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$843 $843

130.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,045 $2,045

132.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,303 $1,303

166.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,495 $1,495

392.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,516 $3,516

85.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.56

5.03%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Independence, MO: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Independence, MO

$843 40% 56.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Independence, MO

$366 17.4% 32.9% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Independence, MO

$388 18.4% 15.2% $69

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Independence, MO

$329 15.6% 17.6% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Independence, MO

$143 6.8% 25.1% $48

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Independence, MO

$8.8 * 0.4% 93.2% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Independence, MO

$30 * 1.4% 73.8% $84

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 $1,004 in Independence, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 85% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $77.0 in Independence, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $366 per month, with Independence, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Independence, MO

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

22:16 10:16 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

117,213

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Independence, MO 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Independence, MO

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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, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Independence, MO differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($3,782 vs $2,107 including rent). Independence, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 85% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,004 in Independence, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,107 in Independence, MO – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Independence, MO but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Independence, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Independence, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Independence, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.