Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and La Plata, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in La Plata, MD: $2,441 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

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

Cost of Living Index in La Plata, MD
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La Plata, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

La Plata, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in La Plata, MD

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,441 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
La Plata, MD $2,441

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,635 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
La Plata, MD $3,635

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,829 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
La Plata, MD $4,829

Seattle, WA costs about 55% more than La Plata, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and La Plata, MD sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, La Plata, MD by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$13.52 $13.52

87.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.4 $90.4

11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$7.62 $7.62

93.70%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.29 $6.29

3.34%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.82 $2.82

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.56 $2.56

22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.46 $3.46

130.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.96 $4.96

63.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.68 $1.68

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.42 $4.42

19.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.23 $6.23

2.73%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$1.81 $1.81

179.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.70 $12.70

47.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.81 $8.81

112.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.15 $13.15

73.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.89 $4.89

23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.32 $6.32

-12.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.44 $4.44

46.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.04 $3.04

14.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.08 $2.08

58.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.10 $2.10

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.72 $2.72

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.85 $11.85

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.37 $14.37

3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.68 $1.68

149.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.10 $5.10

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.94 $1.94

57.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$58.1 $58.1

82.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.73 $2.73

-5.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.67 $1.67

-1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.72 $29.72

1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$32.6K $32.6K

12.92%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$30.5K $30.5K

-12.94%

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

$308 $308

$97.8 $97.8

214.40%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$42.02 $42.02

64.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$73.5 $73.5

17.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$40.39 $40.39

89.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.14 $15.14

19.02%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,210 $1,210

126.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.0K $23.0K

33.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$47.79 $47.79

65.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$36.43 $36.43

49.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$112 $112

13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,575 $1,575

59.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,284 $1,284

51.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,492 $2,492

105.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,098 $2,098

68.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,038 $3,038

142.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,428 $2,428

106.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,502 $6,502

-0.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.25

10.24%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for La Plata, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

La Plata, MD

$1.3K 52.6% 33.8% $655

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

La Plata, MD

$398 16.3% 27.2% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

La Plata, MD

$213 8.7% 53.9% $249

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

La Plata, MD

$255 10.5% 37.2% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

La Plata, MD

$143 5.8% 24.4% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

La Plata, MD

$77 3.2% 40.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

La Plata, MD

$71 2.9% 37.2% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,575 in La Plata, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $90 in La Plata, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $398 – making La Plata, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 La Plata, MD

🕒 Local time

14:09 2:09 PM

17:09 5:09 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

10,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA La Plata, MD 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
La Plata, MD

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 La Plata, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,661 in La Plata, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Plata, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,575 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,441 in La Plata, MD. That makes La Plata, MD about 36% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 45% less in La Plata, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

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

For expats, La Plata, MD is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 36% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.