Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lincoln, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in Lincoln, NE: $2,208 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lincoln, NE

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 Lincoln, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,208 in Lincoln, NE.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Lincoln, NE $2,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,239 in Lincoln, NE.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Lincoln, NE $3,239

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,270 in Lincoln, NE.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Lincoln, NE $4,270

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 71% more expensive than in Lincoln, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Lincoln, NE 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.26 $20.26

24.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$79.2 $79.2

27.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.17 $12.17

21.28%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.66 $5.66

14.84%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.33 $2.33

37.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.75 $1.75

79.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.11 $5.11

55.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.17 $9.17

-11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.90 $0.90

30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.22 $3.22

64.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.32 $6.32

1.27%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.48 $4.48

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.42 $11.42

63.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.43 $8.43

122.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.82 $14.82

54.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.00 $7.00

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.10 $2.10

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.91 $5.91

-6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.37 $4.37

49.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.37 $3.37

3.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.71 $3.71

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.87 $1.87

49.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.67 $2.67

-3.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.19 $9.19

35.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.30 $17.30

-14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.86 $1.86

125.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.56 $2.56

126.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.23 $1.23

147.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$16.91 $16.91

526.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.06 $5.06

-49.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.90 $1.90

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$35.14 $35.14

-14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 $0.99

42.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.57%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.05%

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

$308 $308

$144 $144

113.78%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$47.84 $47.84

44.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$65.4 $65.4

31.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$41.55 $41.55

84.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$26.15 $26.15

35.76%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.08 $15.08

19.50%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$834 $834

229.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$48.84 $48.84

62.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.07 $35.07

54.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$87.5 $87.5

45.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$117 $117

36.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$956 $956

162.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$982 $982

97.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,164 $2,164

136.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,451 $1,451

144.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,484 $2,484

196.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,767 $1,767

183.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,834 $3,834

68.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.37

8.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lincoln, NE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Lincoln, NE

$982 44.5% 49.3% $956

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Lincoln, NE

$404 18.3% 26.1% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Lincoln, NE

$257 11.6% 44.4% $206

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Lincoln, NE

$327 14.8% 19.6% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Lincoln, NE

$130 5.9% 31.3% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lincoln, NE

$36 1.7% 71.8% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Lincoln, NE

$72 3.3% 36.2% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $956 in Lincoln, NE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 69% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $79 in Lincoln, NE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $404 per month, with Lincoln, NE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lincoln, NE

🕒 Local time

09:05 9:05 AM

11:05 11:05 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

277,348

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Lincoln, NE 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Lincoln, NE

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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 Lincoln, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, NE wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lincoln, NE the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 69% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $956 in Lincoln, NE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lincoln, NE – a meal for two runs $79 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,208 in Lincoln, NE – Lincoln, NE is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lincoln, NE 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.

Expats usually find Lincoln, NE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.