Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lebanon, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Lebanon, NH: $2,933 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Lebanon, NH, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Lebanon, NH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,933
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lebanon, NH

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 Lebanon, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,933 in Lebanon, NH, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Lebanon, NH $2,933

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,600 in Lebanon, NH, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Lebanon, NH $4,600

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,266 in Lebanon, NH, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Lebanon, NH $6,266

Seattle, WA costs about 29% more than Lebanon, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Lebanon, NH sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Lebanon, NH by 116%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$25.10 $25.10
0.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$120 $120
-15.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$15.22 $15.22
-3.02%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$6.13 $6.13
6.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$3.09 $3.09
3.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$2.41 $2.41
30.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$7.90 $7.90
0.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$8.21 $8.21
-0.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.75 $0.75
56.00%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$4.72 $4.72
12.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$8.21 $8.21
-22.05%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$3.92 $3.92
29.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$18.92 $18.92
-1.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$10.27 $10.27
82.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$15.92 $15.92
43.72%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$4.70 $4.70
28.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.66 $1.66
17.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$5.95 $5.95
-7.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$6.95 $6.95
-6.19%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$6.41 $6.41
-45.55%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$3.70 $3.70
-11.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$3.21 $3.21
-12.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.60 $2.60
-0.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$12.35 $12.35
1.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$15.17 $15.17
-1.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.88 $1.88
122.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$2.62 $2.62
121.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.04 $2.04
49.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$58.5 $58.5
81.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.94 $1.94
32.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.58 $1.58
3.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$11.12 $11.12
170.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.05 $1.05
34.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$27.6K $27.6K
33.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$26.3K $26.3K
1.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$224 $224
37.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$44.86 $44.86
54.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$59.2 $59.2
45.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$37.75 $37.75
102.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$12.86 $12.86
40.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$1,271 $1,271
116.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$26.4K $26.4K
16.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$53.4 $53.4
48.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$78.9 $78.9
-31.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$104 $104
22.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$132 $132
20.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$1,576 $1,576
59.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$1,435 $1,435
35.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$2,918 $2,918
75.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$2,782 $2,782
27.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$2,823 $2,823
161.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$2,326 $2,326
115.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Lebanon, NH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
$5,540 $5,540
16.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.5
6.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lebanon, NH: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Lebanon, NH
$1.4K 26% $503
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Lebanon, NH
$467 14.7% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Lebanon, NH
$328 29.1% $135
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Lebanon, NH
$398 2% $8.3
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Lebanon, NH
$165 12.3% $23
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Lebanon, NH
$76 40.7% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Lebanon, NH
$63 43.6% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,576 in Lebanon, NH. 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 17% 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 $120 in Lebanon, NH. Groceries tell a different story – $547 in Seattle, WA vs $467 in Lebanon, NH – so Lebanon, NH wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Lebanon, NH
🕒 Local time
04:44 4:44 AM
07:44 7:44 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
25,477
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Lebanon, NH 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Lebanon, NH

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 Lebanon, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lebanon, NH cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,400 in Lebanon, NH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lebanon, NH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,576 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.
How do food prices compare in Seattle, WA and in Lebanon, NH?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Seattle, WA or in Lebanon, NH?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $120 in Lebanon, NH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Seattle, WA or in Lebanon, NH?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,933 in Lebanon, NH. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Seattle, WA or Lebanon, NH more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lebanon, NH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lebanon, NH. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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