Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Katy, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Katy, TX: $2,451 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Katy, TX
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Katy, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Katy, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Katy, TX

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,451 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Katy, TX $2,451

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,581 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Katy, TX $3,581

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,711 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Katy, TX $4,711

Seattle, WA costs about 53% more than Katy, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Katy, TX sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Katy, TX by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$16.88 $16.88

41.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$60.6 $60.6

62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.85 $8.85

68.81%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$3.49 $3.49

94.56%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$1.98 $1.98

63.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.13 $2.13

47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$4.07 $4.07

101.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.53 $5.53

42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.95 $0.95

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.53 $3.53

49.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.06 $3.06

88.24%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.05 $3.05

60.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$13.08 $13.08

54.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$9.66 $9.66

85.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$16.72 $16.72

39.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.83 $3.83

55.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.24 $1.24

52.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.12 $3.12

71.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.25 $3.25

102.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.10 $2.10

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.49 $2.49

15.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.78 $1.78

62.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.22 $1.22

99.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.68 $9.68

25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$12.75 $12.75

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.70 $1.70

157.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.58 $1.58

272.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.02 $2.02

46.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$107 $107

2.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.68 $2.68

-5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.58 $1.58

8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$35.07 $35.07

-15.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.85 $0.85

77.65%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$32.3K $32.3K

11.86%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

5.03%

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

$289 $289

$246 $246

17.54%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$58.9 $58.9

17.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$70.7 $70.7

20.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$25.59 $25.59

171.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$25.19 $25.19

39.14%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$11.91 $11.91

50.88%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,009 $1,009

179.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$17.8K $17.8K

147.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$52.8 $52.8

72.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$43.00 $43.00

28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$86.9 $86.9

46.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$109 $109

48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,544 $1,544

67.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,186 $1,186

63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,750 $2,750

85.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,026 $2,026

74.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,098 $2,098

250.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$1,542 $1,542

219.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,102 $4,102

57.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.41

6.08%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Katy, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Katy, TX

$1.2K 48.4% 38.9% $757

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Katy, TX

$332 13.6% 38.9% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Katy, TX

$375 15.3% 15.2% $67

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Katy, TX

$251 10.3% 37% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Katy, TX

$131 5.4% 33% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Katy, TX

$125 5.1% 5.1% $6.8

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Katy, TX

$49 2% 53.1% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,544 in Katy, TX. 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 57% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $61 in Katy, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $332 – making Katy, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Katy, TX

🕒 Local time

19:25 7:25 PM

21:25 9:25 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

14,102

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Katy, TX 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Katy, TX

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 Katy, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 53% more than Katy, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,677 in Katy, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Katy, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,544 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA and $61 in Katy, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,451 in Katy, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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