Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Laurel, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Laurel, MS: $2,696 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Laurel, MS
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Laurel, MS Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Laurel, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,696

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Laurel, MS

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 Laurel, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,696 in Laurel, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Laurel, MS $2,696

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,894 in Laurel, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Laurel, MS $3,894

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,092 in Laurel, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Laurel, MS $5,092

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Laurel, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Laurel, MS sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Laurel, MS by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$17.38 $17.38

36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$61.0 $61.0

61.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.94 $8.94

67.11%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.85 $5.85

16.07%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.21 $2.21

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.39 $2.39

31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.09 $5.09

61.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.87 $5.87

34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.04 $1.04

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.99 $2.99

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.81 $4.81

19.75%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.91 $3.91

25.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$9.42 $9.42

114.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.31 $11.31

58.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.96 $15.96

46.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.07 $4.07

45.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.33 $1.33

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$8.11 $8.11

-34.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.03 $3.03

116.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.08 $1.08

213.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.33 $4.33

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.74 $2.74

5.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.81 $2.81

-13.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.72 $8.72

39.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.94 $11.94

27.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.34 $2.34

87.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.52 $3.52

67.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.30 $2.30

28.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.6 $60.6

80.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.92 $2.92

-13.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 $1.62

6.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.43 $30.43

-2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.92 $0.92

64.13%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

34.78%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.23%

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

$289 $289

$266 $266

8.64%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$78.0 $78.0

-11.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$73.1 $73.1

16.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$45.85 $45.85

51.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$15.77 $15.77

13.95%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,404 $1,404

100.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$18.4K $18.4K

138.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$57.9 $57.9

57.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$38.09 $38.09

44.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$110 $110

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$161 $161

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,553 $1,553

66.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,281 $1,281

51.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,582 $2,582

97.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,139 $2,139

65.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,972 $2,972

147.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,512 $2,512

95.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.69

1.64%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Laurel, MS: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Laurel, MS

$1.3K 47.5% 34.1% $662

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Laurel, MS

$383 14.2% 29.6% $161

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Laurel, MS

$417 15.5% 5.8% $26

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Laurel, MS

$292 10.8% 26.9% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Laurel, MS

$165 6.1% 15.8% $31

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Laurel, MS

$81 3% 38.9% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Laurel, MS

$77 2.9% 26.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,553 in Laurel, MS. 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 $99 in Seattle, WA versus $61 in Laurel, MS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $383 – making Laurel, MS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Laurel, MS

🕒 Local time

17:36 5:36 PM

19:36 7:36 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

18,540

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Laurel, MS 3,310 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Laurel, MS

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 Laurel, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA, $2,696 in Laurel, MS – Laurel, MS comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,044 in Laurel, MS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laurel, MS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,553 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,404 in Laurel, MS. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Laurel, MS, where all-in costs run around $2,696, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Laurel, MS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Laurel, MS is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 28% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.