Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lacey, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lacey, WA: $2,784 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 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
133

Cost of Living Index in Lacey, WA
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Lacey, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Lacey, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,784 in Lacey, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Lacey, WA $2,784

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,064 in Lacey, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Lacey, WA $4,064

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,345 in Lacey, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Lacey, WA $5,345

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 36% more expensive than in Lacey, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Lacey, WA 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.93 $24.93

1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$70.7 $70.7

42.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.83 $14.83

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.81 $6.81

-4.55%

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

$3.21 $3.21

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.93 $2.93

7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.20 $8.20

-0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.61 $4.61

14.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.19 $3.19

100.63%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.85 $4.85

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$18.22 $18.22

2.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.56 $10.56

77.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.87 $16.87

35.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.21 $5.21

16.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.63 $1.63

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.11 $4.11

34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.70 $4.70

38.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.62 $2.62

33.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.48 $2.48

32.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.89 $2.89

-3.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.48 $2.48

4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.50 $12.50

-0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.07 $15.07

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.38 $2.38

76.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.41 $2.41

140.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.89 $1.89

61.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$66.4 $66.4

59.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.62 $2.62

-1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.66 $1.66

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.54 $29.54

1.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.36 $1.36

3.68%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.4K $28.4K

29.77%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.41%

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

$308 $308

$220 $220

39.64%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$68.3 $68.3

1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$93.6 $93.6

-8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$39.84 $39.84

91.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.84 $12.84

40.34%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,425 $1,425

92.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.7K $31.7K

-3.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$44.93 $44.93

76.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$55.7 $55.7

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.3 $91.3

38.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$100 $100

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,613 $1,613

55.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,289 $1,289

50.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,256 $2,256

126.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,155 $2,155

64.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,252 $3,252

126.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,507 $2,507

99.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,247 $4,247

52.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.81

1.17%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lacey, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Lacey, WA

$1.3K 46.3% 33.5% $649

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Lacey, WA

$424 15.2% 22.5% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Lacey, WA

$382 13.7% 17.4% $81

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Lacey, WA

$406 14.6% 0% $0.1

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Lacey, WA

$132 4.7% 30.3% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lacey, WA

$85 3.1% 34.2% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Lacey, WA

$66 2.4% 41.8% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,613 in Lacey, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 52% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $71 in Lacey, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $424 per month, with Lacey, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lacey, WA

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

53,526

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Lacey, WA 74 km

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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 Lacey, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lacey, WA is about 26% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,613 in Lacey, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lacey, WA – a meal for two runs $71 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Lacey, WA 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 Lacey, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.