Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Issaquah, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Issaquah, WA: $3,084 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 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
149

Cost of Living Index in Issaquah, WA
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Issaquah, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Issaquah, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,084

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Issaquah, WA

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 Issaquah, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,084 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Issaquah, WA $3,084

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,423 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Issaquah, WA $4,423

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,762 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Issaquah, WA $5,762

Seattle, WA costs about 23% more than Issaquah, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Issaquah, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Issaquah, WA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.33 $25.33

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$79.4 $79.4

27.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.28 $11.28

30.85%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.77 $4.77

36.27%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.22 $3.22

-0.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.13 $2.13

47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.14 $7.14

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.03 $7.03

15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.46 $1.46

-19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.38 $5.38

-1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.95 $5.95

7.56%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.67 $5.67

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.97 $15.97

17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.45 $15.45

21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.38 $17.38

31.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.80 $5.80

4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.25 $2.25

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.25 $4.25

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.56 $4.56

42.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.24 $2.24

55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.49 $2.49

32.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.75 $1.75

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.14 $3.14

-17.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.42 $12.42

0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.13 $18.13

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.69 $1.69

147.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.00 $5.00

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.79 $2.79

9.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 $1.69

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$30.48 $30.48

-1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.35 $1.35

4.44%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.0K $28.0K

31.26%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.9K $26.9K

-1.28%

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

$308 $308

$227 $227

35.65%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$62.3 $62.3

11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$84.4 $84.4

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.04 $15.04

19.81%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,091 $2,091

31.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$32.5K $32.5K

-5.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.4 $61.4

28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.65 $43.65

24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$83.8 $83.8

51.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$75.1 $75.1

111.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,083 $2,083

20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,689 $1,689

14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,182 $3,182

60.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,704 $2,704

31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,186 $4,186

76.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,490 $6,490

-0.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Issaquah, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Issaquah, WA

$1.7K 54.8% 12.8% $249

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Issaquah, WA

$486 15.7% 11.2% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Issaquah, WA

$373 12.1% 19.3% $89

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Issaquah, WA

$365 11.8% 10.2% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Issaquah, WA

$119 3.9% 37.1% $70

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Issaquah, WA

$22 * 0.7% 82.8% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Issaquah, WA

$30 * 1% 73.3% $82

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 $2,083 in Issaquah, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $79 in Issaquah, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $486 – making Issaquah, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Issaquah, WA

🕒 Local time

23:15 11:15 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

40,051

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Issaquah, WA 23 km

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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 Issaquah, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,626 in Issaquah, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Issaquah, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,083 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,084 in Issaquah, WA. That makes Issaquah, WA about 19% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,091 in Issaquah, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,084 in Issaquah, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Issaquah, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.