Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Los Alamos, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Alamos, NM: $1,060 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $32,700 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
51

Cost of Living Index in Los Alamos, NM
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Los Alamos, NM Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Los Alamos, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$1,060

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Los Alamos, NM

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 Los Alamos, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,060 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Los Alamos, NM $1,060

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,643 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Los Alamos, NM $1,643

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,227 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Los Alamos, NM $2,227

Seattle, WA costs about 257% more than Los Alamos, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seattle, WA sits 179% above the global median, while Los Alamos, NM is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$16.75 $16.75

46.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$39.58 $39.58

148.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.82 $9.82

50.61%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.95 $4.95

31.72%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.52 $2.52

28.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.53 $1.53

107.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.91 $5.91

32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.89 $6.89

16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.95 $0.95

27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.16 $2.16

137.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.62 $4.62

30.95%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.01 $4.01

21.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.89 $11.89

61.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$9.74 $9.74

94.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.91 $17.91

30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.87 $4.87

23.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.43 $1.43

34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.85 $2.85

84.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.36 $4.36

50.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.11 $1.11

226.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.34 $3.34

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.05 $2.05

35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.52 $0.52

382.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.00 $11.00

10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.84 $13.84

7.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.46 $2.46

71.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.65 $3.65

58.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.61 $3.61

-26.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.94 $1.94

-11.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$32.32 $32.32

-8.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.94 $0.94

58.51%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.0K $30.0K

19.54%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.3K $25.3K

3.67%

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

$302 $302

$156 $156

93.05%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$40.31 $40.31

73.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$72.5 $72.5

17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.88 $12.88

38.51%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,480 $1,480

100.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$25.0K $25.0K

24.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$20.09 $20.09

281.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.66 $43.66

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$102 $102

25.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$117 $117

40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,101 $1,101

122.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,926 $1,926

146.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,369 $3,369

118.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$3,369 $3,369

52.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$8,167 $8,167

-20.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Los Alamos, NM: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Los Alamos, NM

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Los Alamos, NM

$342 32.3% 37.4% $204

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Los Alamos, NM

$269 25.4% 41.1% $188

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Los Alamos, NM

$282 26.7% 29.3% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Los Alamos, NM

$127 12% 33.1% $63

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Los Alamos, NM

$13 * 1.3% 89.7% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Los Alamos, NM

$26 * 2.4% 77.3% $88

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,101 in Los Alamos, NM. 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 26% higher in Los Alamos, NM, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $40.00 in Los Alamos, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $342 – making Los Alamos, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Los Alamos, NM

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

12:07 12:07 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

13,179

💱 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 Los Alamos, NM 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Los Alamos, NM

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 Los Alamos, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 257%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,589 in Los Alamos, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $1,060 in Los Alamos, NM. That's a gap of about 257%.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,480 in Los Alamos, NM. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Los Alamos, NM, where all-in costs run around $1,060, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Los Alamos, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Los Alamos, NM – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Los Alamos, NM. 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.