Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and La Crosse, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,198 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 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
107

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,198

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in La Crosse, WI

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 La Crosse, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,198 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
La Crosse, WI $2,198

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,399 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
La Crosse, WI $3,399

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,601 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
La Crosse, WI $4,601

Seattle, WA costs about 73% more than La Crosse, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and La Crosse, WI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, La Crosse, WI by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$14.98 $14.98

69.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$71.2 $71.2

42.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.17 $11.17

32.95%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.65 $5.65

16.64%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.20 $2.20

46.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.18 $1.18

166.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.44 $4.44

84.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.97 $5.97

34.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.72 $0.72

68.06%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.55 $2.55

100.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.77 $4.77

32.08%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.40 $2.40

104.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$9.96 $9.96

91.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$10.69 $10.69

73.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$16.45 $16.45

40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.90 $4.90

18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.11 $1.11

75.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.11 $3.11

70.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.22 $5.22

24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.00 $2.00

78.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.31 $2.31

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.06 $2.06

38.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.71 $1.71

41.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.74 $9.74

30.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$11.04 $11.04

35.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.82 $1.82

129.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$1.94 $1.94

208.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.98 $0.98

210.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$35.58 $35.58

209.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.44 $3.44

-25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.91 $1.91

-14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$44.67 $44.67

-33.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.89 $0.89

59.55%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$38.8K $38.8K

-7.92%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$24.3K $24.3K

5.25%

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

$299 $299

$206 $206

44.95%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$54.4 $54.4

30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$66.9 $66.9

32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$39.44 $39.44

101.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$3.95 $3.95

795.44%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$11.92 $11.92

43.62%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$890 $890

238.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$63.3 $63.3

21.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$63.3 $63.3

-12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$79.6 $79.6

57.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$121 $121

34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$763 $763

222.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,000 $1,000

95.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,227 $2,227

111.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,983 $1,983

79.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,907 $1,907

285.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,920 $1,920

162.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$4,088 $4,088

53.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.63

3.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.5% 48.9% $956

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

La Crosse, WI

$338 15.4% 37.6% $203

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.9% 28.5% $131

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

La Crosse, WI

$269 12.2% 34.2% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

La Crosse, WI

$147 6.7% 22.3% $42

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.4% 60.6% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

La Crosse, WI

$63 2.9% 44.4% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $763 in La Crosse, WI. 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 54% 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 $71.0 in La Crosse, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $338 – making La Crosse, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🕒 Local time

01:42 1:42 AM

03:42 3:42 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

52,680

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA La Crosse, WI 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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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 La Crosse, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA, $2,198 in La Crosse, WI – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,297 in La Crosse, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 60% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $71.0 in La Crosse, WI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,198, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In La Crosse, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,198 in La Crosse, WI to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 La Crosse, WI. 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.