Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ketchikan, AK: $3,104 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 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
149

Cost of Living Index in Ketchikan, AK
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Ketchikan, AK Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Ketchikan, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ketchikan, 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 Ketchikan, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Ketchikan, AK $3,104

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $4,242 in Ketchikan, AK.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Ketchikan, AK $4,242

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,380 in Ketchikan, AK.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Ketchikan, AK $5,380

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ketchikan, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Ketchikan, AK 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$27.76 $27.76

-14.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$82.4 $82.4

19.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.47 $11.47

30.25%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.09 $5.09

33.40%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.71 $2.71

19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.03 $2.03

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.57 $7.57

8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.39 $7.39

6.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.75 $1.75

-33.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.55 $3.55

49.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.27 $4.27

34.89%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.31 $4.31

13.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.61 $12.61

60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.70 $11.70

53.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.35 $17.35

34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.96 $4.96

19.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.62 $1.62

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.37 $4.37

22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.79 $4.79

37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.70 $2.70

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.39 $3.39

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.19 $2.19

31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.87 $9.87

23.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.88 $14.88

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.22 $2.22

97.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.64 $3.64

61.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.99 $1.99

48.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$59.1 $59.1

84.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.92 $3.92

-35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.56 $1.56

10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$28.88 $28.88

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.20 $1.20

25.83%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$29.7K $29.7K

21.92%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

0.20%

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

$289 $289

$200 $200

44.68%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$57.5 $57.5

20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$135 $135

-37.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$40.43 $40.43

71.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$17.98 $17.98

-0.06%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,219 $1,219

131.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$19.5K $19.5K

125.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$57.1 $57.1

59.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$43.71 $43.71

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$82.9 $82.9

53.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$120 $120

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,781 $1,781

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,618 $1,618

20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,366 $2,366

115.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,156 $2,156

64.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$3,323 $3,323

121.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$3,412 $3,412

44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,559 $4,559

41.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ketchikan, AK: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Ketchikan, AK

$1.6K 52.1% 16.7% $325

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Ketchikan, AK

$413 13.3% 24.1% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Ketchikan, AK

$392 12.6% 11.4% $50

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Ketchikan, AK

$389 12.5% 2.5% $9.8

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Ketchikan, AK

$137 4.4% 30.1% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Ketchikan, AK

$79 2.5% 40.4% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Ketchikan, AK

$76 2.5% 27.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $82 in Ketchikan, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $413 per month, with Ketchikan, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ketchikan, AK

🕒 Local time

15:42 3:42 PM

14:42 2:42 PM

1 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

8,200

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Ketchikan, AK 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Ketchikan, 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 Ketchikan, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK, so Ketchikan, AK is about 17% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,819 in Seattle, WA versus $1,219 in Ketchikan, AK. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ketchikan, 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.

Expats usually find Ketchikan, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.