Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Juneau, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Juneau, AK: $3,150 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
153

Cost of Living Index in Juneau, AK
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Juneau, AK Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Juneau, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,150

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Juneau, AK

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 Juneau, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,150 in Juneau, AK.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Juneau, AK $3,150

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,821 in Juneau, AK.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Juneau, AK $4,821

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $6,492 in Juneau, AK.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Juneau, AK $6,492

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Juneau, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Juneau, AK 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$16.63 $16.63

52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$88.6 $88.6

13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.93 $15.93

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.81 $6.81

-4.55%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.78 $2.78

15.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.19 $2.19

43.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.95 $6.95

14.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.13 $7.13

14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.45 $1.45

-19.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.63 $7.63

-30.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.81 $4.81

33.06%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.49 $5.49

-7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$22.45 $22.45

-16.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.38 $15.38

21.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.72 $18.72

22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.62 $6.62

-8.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.70 $3.70

-47.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.81 $4.81

14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.68 $5.68

14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.03 $3.03

15.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.39 $4.39

-25.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.81 $2.81

-0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.64 $2.64

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$14.78 $14.78

-15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.11 $17.11

-13.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.58 $2.58

62.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.24 $3.24

79.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.06 $2.06

48.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$39.77 $39.77

166.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.21 $1.21

16.53%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$23.8K $23.8K

54.59%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$32.6K $32.6K

-18.46%

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

$308 $308

$380 $380

-19.15%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$75.3 $75.3

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$110 $110

-21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$132 $132

-41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.75 $14.75

22.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,586 $1,586

73.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$60.0 $60.0

31.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$45.62 $45.62

19.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$86.0 $86.0

47.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$148 $148

7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,644 $1,644

52.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,341 $1,341

44.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,029 $3,029

68.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,724 $2,724

30.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,481 $3,481

111.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,529 $3,529

41.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,023 $4,023

60.81%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Juneau, AK: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Juneau, AK

$1.3K 42.6% 30.8% $597

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Juneau, AK

$550 17.5% 0.5% $2.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Juneau, AK

$566 18% 22.2% $103

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Juneau, AK

$331 10.5% 18.4% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Juneau, AK

$153 4.9% 18.9% $36

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Juneau, AK

$48 * 1.5% 62.8% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Juneau, AK

$161 5.1% 43.3% $49

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 $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,644 in Juneau, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 61% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $89 in Juneau, AK. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $550, with Seattle, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Juneau, AK

🕒 Local time

04:06 4:06 AM

03:06 3:06 AM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

31,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Juneau, AK 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Juneau, AK

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 Juneau, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juneau, AK wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Juneau, AK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,644 in Juneau, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Juneau, AK runs roughly 62% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,150 in Juneau, AK – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Juneau, AK 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.

It comes down to priorities – Juneau, AK wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.