Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Loja

For one person, living is cheaper in Loja: $676 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $37,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Loja
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Loja Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Loja

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$676

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Loja

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

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $676 in Loja, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Loja $676

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,067 in Loja, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Loja $1,067

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,459 in Loja, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Loja $1,459

Seattle, WA costs about 462% more than Loja, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seattle, WA sits 182% above the global median, while Loja is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$3.08 $3.08

722.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$20.71 $20.71

390.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$5.44 $5.44

172.98%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$2.22 $2.22

196.85%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$0.77 $0.77

318.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$0.45 $0.45

597.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$1.22 $1.22

570.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.17 $3.17

153.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.51 $1.51

239.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$1.32 $1.32

377.27%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$1.92 $1.92

155.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$5.79 $5.79

229.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$4.15 $4.15

345.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$5.96 $5.96

286.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$1.69 $1.69

243.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.05 $1.05

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$1.18 $1.18

348.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$1.07 $1.07

505.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.06 $1.06

236.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.07 $1.07

194.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$0.51 $0.51

458.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.13 $1.13

114.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$5.23 $5.23

143.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$6.86 $6.86

118.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.52 $1.52

174.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.05 $3.05

96.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.31 $0.31

880.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$30.33 $30.33

262.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.27 $1.27

100.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.09 $1.09

50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$9.88 $9.88

199.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.78 $0.78

82.05%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$14.8K $14.8K

141.13%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$28.7K $28.7K

-10.99%

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

$299 $299

$19.65 $19.65

1421.68%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$11.63 $11.63

508.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$26.57 $26.57

232.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$30.27 $30.27

162.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$14.88 $14.88

137.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$7.46 $7.46

129.49%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$183 $183

1546.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$2,017 $2,017

1468.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$52.8 $52.8

46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.03 $47.03

17.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$79.1 $79.1

58.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$71.2 $71.2

128.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$237 $237

939.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$170 $170

1049.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$389 $389

1110.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$310 $310

1044.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$554 $554

1227.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$323 $323

1461.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$496 $496

1166.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

8.5

-19.41%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Loja: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Loja

$170 25.2% 91.3% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Loja

$167 24.7% 69.1% $374

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Loja

$58 8.6% 87.4% $400

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Loja

$85 12.6% 79.2% $324

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Loja

$113 16.7% 40.5% $77

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Loja

$38 5.7% 71.2% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Loja

$45 6.7% 60.3% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $237 in Loja. 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 1166% 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 $21.00 in Loja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $167 – making Loja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇪🇨 Loja

🕒 Local time

22:23 10:23 PM

00:23 12:23 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

180,617

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Loja 7,110 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Loja

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 Loja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA, $676 in Loja – roughly 462% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,014 in Loja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Loja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 263% less in Loja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,013 per month in Seattle, WA and $183 in Loja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Loja, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In Loja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $676 in Loja to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Loja. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.