Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Kahului, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $3,966 in Kahului, HI, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kahului, HI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Kahului, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,966

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Kahului, HI

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 Kahului, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,966 in Kahului, HI.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Kahului, HI $3,966

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $5,740 in Kahului, HI.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Kahului, HI $5,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $7,513 in Kahului, HI.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Kahului, HI $7,513

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 5% less than in Kahului, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Kahului, HI 191% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$47.14 $47.14

-46.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.0 $76.0

32.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$18.53 $18.53

-20.35%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.83 $6.83

-4.83%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.90 $2.90

10.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.58 $3.58

-12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.10 $5.10

56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.58 $7.58

7.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.45 $1.45

-19.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.16 $7.16

-25.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$9.05 $9.05

-29.28%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$6.79 $6.79

-25.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$8.75 $8.75

113.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.47 $15.47

21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$20.10 $20.10

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$12.64 $12.64

-52.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.75 $2.75

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$13.52 $13.52

-51.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$6.02 $6.02

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.96 $1.96

55.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$44.89 $44.89

136.00%

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

$35.17 $35.17

-14.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.29 $1.29

9.30%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$40.0K $40.0K

-8.00%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.57%

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

$308 $308

$290 $290

6.07%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$70.5 $70.5

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$52.1 $52.1

65.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

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

$2,746 $2,746

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$54.7 $54.7

44.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.13 $40.13

35.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.6 $95.6

32.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$122 $122

29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,364 $2,364

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,306 $2,306

-15.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,006 $4,006

27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,872 $3,872

-8.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$11.0K $11.0K

-32.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$11.0K $11.0K

-54.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,715 $4,715

37.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kahului, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Kahului, HI

–

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Kahului, HI

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Kahului, HI

–

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Kahului, HI

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Kahului, HI

–

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Kahului, HI

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Kahului, HI

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,364 in Kahului, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $76 in Kahului, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $473 per month, with Kahului, HI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Kahului, HI

🕒 Local time

02:08 2:08 AM

00:08 12:08 AM

2 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

26,337

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Kahului, HI 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Kahului, HI

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 Kahului, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Kahului, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Seattle, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $2,364 in Kahului, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kahului, HI pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,966 in Kahului, HI – Seattle, WA is about 5% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA 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.