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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,621 in Seattle, WA versus $3,942 in Kailua, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,548 in Seattle, WA versus $5,853 in Kailua, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,476 in Seattle, WA versus $7,763 in Kailua, HI.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 8% less than in Kailua, HI, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 172% above, Kailua, HI 196% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.02 $25.02

$20.73 $20.73

20.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$102 $102

16.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 $13.76

$9.63 $9.63

42.89%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$6.45 $6.45

-9.30%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.92 $2.92

4.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.98 $1.98

20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$7.94 $7.94

-0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.98 $8.98

-12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.02 $2.02

-31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$6.58 $6.58

-26.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$7.53 $7.53

-31.21%

Eggs

$6.69 $6.69

$6.66 $6.66

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.28 $25.28

$12.83 $12.83

97.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$18.16 $18.16

-12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 $20.16

$19.73 $19.73

2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$6.87 $6.87

-9.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.07 $4.07

-29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$6.30 $6.30

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$8.10 $8.10

-21.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.88 $3.88

-20.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.62 $4.62

-17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.58 $4.58

-38.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.18 $3.18

-17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.41 $11.41

$12.02 $12.02

-5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$12.82 $12.82

21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.49 $2.49

20.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.05 $2.05

106.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.89 $3.89

-30.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$90.6 $90.6

11.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.51 $3.51

-23.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.56 $2.56

-33.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.50 $29.50

$45.38 $45.38

-34.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.22 $1.22

-6.56%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$30.5K $30.5K

9.30%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$24.3K $24.3K

8.93%

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

$261 $261

$238 $238

9.85%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$49.07 $49.07

23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$66.2 $66.2

14.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 $78.8

$69.4 $69.4

13.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.08 $40.08

$40.30 $40.30

-0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$16.04 $16.04

-1.37%

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

$2,210 $2,210

$1,486 $1,486

48.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$20.7K $20.7K

44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$56.5 $56.5

23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$59.7 $59.7

-12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$107 $107

9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$129 $129

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 $2,321

$2,793 $2,793

-16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 $1,870

$2,300 $2,300

-18.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 $4,728

$4,237 $4,237

11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,569 $3,569

$3,915 $3,915

-8.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,651 $7,651

$12.4K $12.4K

-38.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,034 $5,034

$9,947 $9,947

-49.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,516 $6,516

$4,737 $4,737

37.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.56

-2.13%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kailua, HI: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,321 in Seattle, WA and $2,793 in Kailua, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $102 in Kailua, HI. Groceries flip the comparison at $542 vs $575, with Seattle, WA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kailua, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $2,321 in Seattle, WA versus $2,793 in Kailua, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 11% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,210 in Seattle, WA versus $1,486 in Kailua, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kailua, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Kailua, HI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.