Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lansing, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lansing, IL: $2,424 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Lansing, IL
Learn more

Lansing, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Lansing, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,424

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lansing, IL

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 Lansing, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,424 in Lansing, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Lansing, IL $2,424

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,690 in Lansing, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Lansing, IL $3,690

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,956 in Lansing, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Lansing, IL $4,956

Seattle, WA costs about 56% more than Lansing, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Lansing, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Lansing, IL by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.66 $19.66

24.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$74.6 $74.6

31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.59 $11.59

27.61%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.19 $5.19

25.63%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.72 $2.72

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.96 $1.96

61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.90 $5.90

33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.22 $7.22

11.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.57 $3.57

43.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.45 $4.45

35.96%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.11 $4.11

18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.76 $12.76

50.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.39 $11.39

66.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$16.88 $16.88

38.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.10 $5.10

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.64 $1.64

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.39 $4.39

19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.79 $4.79

37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.82 $2.82

28.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.91 $2.91

13.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.19 $2.19

26.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.22 $2.22

13.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.96 $9.96

22.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.07 $15.07

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.92 $1.92

119.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.27 $3.27

76.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 $2.05

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.69 $2.69

-1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.56 $1.56

10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$33.26 $33.26

-10.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.13 $1.13

31.86%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.80%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.36%

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

$302 $302

$196 $196

54.27%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$66.0 $66.0

6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$71.0 $71.0

20.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.95 $40.95

90.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.18 $14.18

25.81%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,377 $1,377

115.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

16.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$55.9 $55.9

37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.58 $43.58

24.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$101 $101

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$120 $120

36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,607 $1,607

52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,143 $1,143

70.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,651 $2,651

78.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,131 $2,131

62.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,439 $2,439

201.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,500 $2,500

105.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,105 $3,105

109.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lansing, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Lansing, IL

$1.1K 47.2% 41.3% $803

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Lansing, IL

$398 16.4% 27% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Lansing, IL

$333 13.7% 27.2% $125

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Lansing, IL

$317 13.1% 20.7% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Lansing, IL

$144 6% 24.2% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lansing, IL

$19 * 0.8% 85.6% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Lansing, IL

$69 2.9% 38.9% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,607 in Lansing, IL. 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 110% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $75.0 in Lansing, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $398 – making Lansing, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lansing, IL

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

22:56 10:56 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

112,644

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Lansing, IL 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Lansing, IL

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 Lansing, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,636 in Lansing, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,424 in Lansing, IL. That's a gap of about 56%.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,377 in Lansing, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,424 in Lansing, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lansing, IL – 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 Lansing, IL. 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.