Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Johnstown, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Johnstown, PA: $1,657 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 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
81

Cost of Living Index in Johnstown, PA
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Johnstown, PA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Johnstown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,657

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Johnstown, PA

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 Johnstown, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,657 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Johnstown, PA $1,657

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,417 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Johnstown, PA $2,417

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,177 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Johnstown, PA $3,177

Seattle, WA costs about 128% more than Johnstown, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Johnstown, PA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Johnstown, PA by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$13.58 $13.58

80.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$39.60 $39.60

148.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$7.19 $7.19

105.70%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.34 $6.34

2.84%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.72 $2.72

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.60 $2.60

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.93 $3.93

99.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.88 $5.88

36.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.23 $1.23

-1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.39 $1.39

269.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$7.50 $7.50

-19.33%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.32 $5.32

-8.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$16.56 $16.56

15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$4.65 $4.65

306.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$18.84 $18.84

23.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.91 $4.91

22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.32 $1.32

46.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.42 $6.42

-18.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.82 $2.82

132.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$0.96 $0.96

277.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.02 $2.02

63.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.14 $2.14

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.71 $2.71

-7.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.97 $9.97

22.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.03 $15.03

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.72 $1.72

145.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.98 $4.98

15.86%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.96 $0.96

55.21%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.59%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-3.07%

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

$302 $302

$147 $147

104.89%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$14.88 $14.88

371.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.5 $69.5

22.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.40 $36.40

113.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$9.26 $9.26

92.66%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$2,258 $2,258

31.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$60.2K $60.2K

-48.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.37 $47.37

61.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$36.50 $36.50

48.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$108 $108

18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$122 $122

34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$643 $643

280.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$594 $594

227.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$900 $900

427.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$935 $935

270.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$829 $829

788.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$836 $836

513.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$2,182 $2,182

198.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Johnstown, PA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Johnstown, PA

$594 35.9% 69.5% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Johnstown, PA

$376 22.7% 31.2% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Johnstown, PA

$232 14% 49.3% $225

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Johnstown, PA

$259 15.6% 35.2% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Johnstown, PA

$141 8.5% 25.8% $49

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Johnstown, PA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Johnstown, PA

$55 3.3% 51.6% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $643 in Johnstown, PA. 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 198% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $40.00 in Johnstown, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $376 – making Johnstown, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Johnstown, PA

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

02:01 2:01 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

22,269

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Johnstown, PA 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 Johnstown, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 128%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,485 in Johnstown, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johnstown, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $1,657 in Johnstown, PA. That's a gap of about 128%.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,258 in Johnstown, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Johnstown, PA, where all-in costs run around $1,657, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Johnstown, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Johnstown, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.