Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lihue, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Lihue, HI: $3,194 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,194

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lihue, HI

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 Lihue, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,194 in Lihue, HI.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Lihue, HI $3,194

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $5,556 in Lihue, HI.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Lihue, HI $5,556

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $7,919 in Lihue, HI.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Lihue, HI $7,919

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Lihue, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Lihue, HI 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.32 $25.32

-0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$111 $111

-8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.03 $13.03

13.28%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.55 $6.55

-0.76%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.82 $3.82

-15.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.46 $2.46

27.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.88 $6.88

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.91 $7.91

2.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.88 $1.88

-37.77%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.56 $6.56

-19.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.81 $2.81

127.76%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$10.19 $10.19

-50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.42 $15.42

21.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.17 $15.17

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$20.13 $20.13

13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.78 $4.78

26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.33 $3.33

-41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$8.59 $8.59

-35.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$10.13 $10.13

-35.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.05 $5.05

-30.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$6.33 $6.33

-48.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.17 $12.17

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.81 $15.81

-5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.69 $1.69

243.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.97 $1.97

54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$52.9 $52.9

100.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$7.88 $7.88

-67.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.90 $1.90

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$15.25 $15.25

97.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.30 $1.30

8.46%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

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

$26.6K $26.6K

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

$308 $308

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

$69.2 $69.2

$30.21 $30.21

128.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$60.6 $60.6

42.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$91.9 $91.9

-16.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$9.01 $9.01

100.00%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,200 $1,200

128.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.2K $16.2K

88.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,353 $2,353

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,000 $2,000

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$5,245 $5,245

-2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$4,812 $4,812

-26.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$1,987 $1,987

225.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.69

2.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lihue, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Lihue, HI

–

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Lihue, HI

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Lihue, HI

–

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Lihue, HI

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Lihue, HI

–

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lihue, HI

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Lihue, HI

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,353 in Lihue, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $111 in Lihue, HI. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $519, with Lihue, HI cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lihue, HI

🕒 Local time

07:10 7:10 AM

04:10 4:10 AM

3 h behind Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Lihue, HI 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Lihue, HI

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 Lihue, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lihue, HI wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lihue, HI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Seattle, WA is about 3.3 times higher, 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 $2,353 in Lihue, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,194 in Lihue, HI – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lihue, HI runs roughly 50% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lihue, HI 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lihue, HI wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.