Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Jamestown, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown, ND: $2,578 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Jamestown, ND
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Jamestown, ND Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Jamestown, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,578

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Jamestown, ND

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 Jamestown, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,578 in Jamestown, ND.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Jamestown, ND $2,578

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,748 in Jamestown, ND.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Jamestown, ND $3,748

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,919 in Jamestown, ND.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Jamestown, ND $4,919

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Jamestown, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Jamestown, ND 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$22.07 $22.07

14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$67.2 $67.2

50.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.12 $12.12

21.78%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.25 $5.25

23.81%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.40 $2.40

33.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.17 $2.17

44.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.25 $5.25

51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.35 $7.35

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.81 $0.81

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.48 $3.48

52.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.27 $4.27

49.88%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.07 $4.07

24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.40 $11.40

64.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.24 $10.24

82.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.79 $16.79

36.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.90 $4.90

23.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.79 $4.79

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.03 $5.03

29.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.73 $2.73

27.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.26 $3.26

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.20 $2.20

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.91 $1.91

35.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.06 $9.06

37.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.91 $12.91

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.94 $1.94

115.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.12 $3.12

85.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.15 $2.15

41.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$61.9 $61.9

71.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.07 $3.07

-15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.63 $1.63

0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$26.20 $26.20

14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.95 $0.95

48.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

41.68%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$30.0K $30.0K

-11.25%

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

$308 $308

$201 $201

53.15%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.0 $58.0

19.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.7 $68.7

25.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$36.40 $36.40

110.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.11 $13.11

37.45%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,516 $1,516

81.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

17.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.2 $52.2

51.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$42.82 $42.82

26.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.8 $89.8

41.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$102 $102

56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,533 $1,533

63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,263 $1,263

53.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,517 $2,517

103.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,062 $2,062

71.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,240 $3,240

127.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,060 $2,060

142.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,079 $3,079

110.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jamestown, ND: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Jamestown, ND

$1.3K 49% 34.8% $675

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Jamestown, ND

$379 14.7% 30.7% $168

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Jamestown, ND

$328 12.7% 29.2% $135

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Jamestown, ND

$335 13% 17.5% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Jamestown, ND

$129 5% 31.7% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Jamestown, ND

$82 3.2% 36.6% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Jamestown, ND

$63 2.4% 44.3% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,533 in Jamestown, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $67 in Jamestown, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $379 per month, with Jamestown, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Jamestown, ND

🕒 Local time

15:58 3:58 PM

17:58 5:58 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Jamestown, ND 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

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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 Jamestown, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jamestown, ND is about 32% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Seattle, WA is about 2.1 times higher, 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,533 in Jamestown, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jamestown, ND – a meal for two runs $67 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,578 in Jamestown, ND – Jamestown, ND is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Jamestown, ND 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 Jamestown, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.