Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lima, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima, OH: $2,583 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Lima, OH
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Lima, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Lima, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,583

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lima, OH

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 Lima, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,583 in Lima, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Lima, OH $2,583

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,667 in Lima, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Lima, OH $3,667

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,750 in Lima, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Lima, OH $4,750

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 46% more expensive than in Lima, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Lima, OH 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$21.56 $21.56

10.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$74.2 $74.2

32.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.05 $12.05

23.98%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.31 $5.31

27.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.48 $2.48

30.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.02 $2.02

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.11 $6.11

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.04 $7.04

11.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.51 $0.51

129.41%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.09 $3.09

71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$5.29 $5.29

8.88%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.06 $3.06

59.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$8.90 $8.90

127.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$14.54 $14.54

23.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.71 $15.71

48.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.31 $4.31

37.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.13 $1.13

67.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.40 $4.40

21.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.37 $4.37

50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.26 $2.26

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.17 $2.17

32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.03 $2.03

42.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.77 $9.77

24.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$16.08 $16.08

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.12 $2.12

106.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.95 $1.95

202.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.03 $2.03

45.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$59.8 $59.8

82.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.98 $2.98

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.42 $1.42

21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$26.92 $26.92

10.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.90 $0.90

67.78%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$31.7K $31.7K

14.29%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.8K $23.8K

7.81%

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

$289 $289

$222 $222

29.89%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$67.8 $67.8

1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$68.1 $68.1

24.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$41.50 $41.50

67.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$47.74 $47.74

-26.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.23 $13.23

35.83%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,560 $1,560

80.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$33.7K $33.7K

30.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$50.2 $50.2

81.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$41.92 $41.92

31.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$80.1 $80.1

58.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$110 $110

47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,281 $1,281

101.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,244 $1,244

56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,162 $2,162

135.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,804 $1,804

96.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$1,399 $1,399

425.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$1,436 $1,436

242.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$5,178 $5,178

24.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lima, OH: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Lima, OH

$1.2K 48.2% 36% $698

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Lima, OH

$373 14.4% 31.4% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Lima, OH

$358 13.9% 19.1% $84

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Lima, OH

$335 13% 16.1% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Lima, OH

$127 4.9% 35.3% $69

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Lima, OH

$78 3% 41% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Lima, OH

$68 2.6% 35.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,281 in Lima, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $74 in Lima, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $373 per month, with Lima, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lima, OH

🕒 Local time

18:17 6:17 PM

21:17 9:17 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

35,868

💱 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 Lima, OH 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Lima, OH

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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 Lima, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,583 in Lima, OH, so Lima, OH is about 31% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,281 in Lima, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lima, OH – a meal for two runs $74 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,583 in Lima, OH versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lima, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Lima, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Lima, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.