Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Kanata

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanata: $2,460 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Kanata
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Kanata Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Kanata

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Kanata

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

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,460 in Kanata, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Kanata $2,460

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,534 in Kanata, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Kanata $3,534

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,608 in Kanata, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Kanata $4,608

Seattle, WA costs about 55% more than Kanata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Kanata sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Kanata by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$17.66 CA$24.97

43.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$77.0 CA$109

31.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.57 CA$14.94

40.49%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.21 CA$5.96

56.53%

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

$3.22 $3.22

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$2.57 CA$3.64

218.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$2.60 CA$3.68

208.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.81 CA$5.38

-68.24%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.66 CA$3.77

92.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$1.82 CA$2.57

246.15%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.21 CA$5.95

16.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$13.44 CA$19.00

42.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$11.32 CA$16.00

63.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$8.85 CA$12.52

160.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.35 CA$4.73

73.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.94 CA$1.33

107.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.73 CA$3.86

93.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.85 CA$5.45

68.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.05 CA$1.49

240.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.02 CA$2.85

55.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.39 CA$3.38

19.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.43 CA$2.02

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$12.49 CA$17.66

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$20.75 CA$29.33

-27.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.65 CA$3.74

57.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.19 CA$4.51

87.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.68 CA$3.79

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$89.4 CA$126

23.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.29 CA$1.83

27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.15 CA$1.62

23.48%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.9K CA$50.7K

-0.37%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$18.5K CA$26.1K

38.21%

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

$299 $299

$106 CA$151

180.79%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$44.09 CA$62.3

60.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$41.17 CA$58.2

114.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$45.32 CA$64.1

75.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$10.02 CA$14.17

70.86%

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

$3,013 $3,013

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$14.0K CA$19.7K

126.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$63.0 CA$89.1

22.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$58.7 CA$83.0

-6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$84.8 CA$120

48.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$64.0 CA$90.5

154.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,545 CA$2,184

59.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,373 CA$1,941

42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,214 CA$3,130

112.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$2,054 CA$2,904

72.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$3,171 CA$4,483

131.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$2,928 CA$4,139

114.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

5.35

28.04%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kanata: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Kanata

$1.4K 55.8% 29.8% $583

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Kanata

$360 14.6% 33.5% $182

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Kanata

$192 7.8% 58.1% $266

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Kanata

$242 * 9.8% 40.9% $167

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Kanata

$122 5% 35.7% $68

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Kanata

$107 * 4.3% 19.8% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Kanata

$65 2.7% 42.5% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,545 in Kanata. 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 115% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $77.0 in Kanata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $360 – making Kanata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇨🇦 Kanata

🕒 Local time

14:47 2:47 PM

17:47 5:47 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

90,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Seattle, WA Kanata 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Kanata

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 Kanata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,690 in Kanata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Kanata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $2,460 in Kanata. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kanata – 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 Kanata. 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.