Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lowell, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lowell, MA: $2,689 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
Learn more

Lowell, MA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Lowell, MA

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,689 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Lowell, MA $2,689

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,243 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Lowell, MA $4,243

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,797 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Lowell, MA $5,797

Seattle, WA costs about 41% more than Lowell, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Lowell, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Lowell, MA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$18.09 $18.09

35.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$69.0 $69.0

42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.24 $9.24

60.06%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.90 $4.90

33.06%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.02 $2.02

59.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.65 $1.65

92.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.97 $4.97

57.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.21 $8.21

-2.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.81 $0.81

49.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.13 $2.13

141.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.28 $5.28

14.58%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.11 $4.11

18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.15 $11.15

72.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.94 $8.94

111.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.47 $17.47

33.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.73 $2.73

119.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.22 $1.22

58.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.82 $6.82

-23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.52 $5.52

19.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.67 $1.67

116.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.43 $4.43

-25.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.01 $3.01

-7.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.20 $2.20

14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.78 $13.78

-11.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.42 $13.42

10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.74 $1.74

142.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.19 $4.19

37.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.81 $1.81

62.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$55.2 $55.2

92.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.04 $4.04

-34.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.75 $1.75

-1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.46 $29.46

0.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.84 $0.84

77.38%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.7K $27.7K

29.63%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.12%

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

$302 $302

$186 $186

62.35%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.6 $51.6

35.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$66.9 $66.9

27.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.07 $40.07

94.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$12.45 $12.45

177.75%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.05 $14.05

26.98%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,410 $1,410

110.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$29.5K $29.5K

5.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.8 $57.8

32.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$37.86 $37.86

42.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$79.2 $79.2

61.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$70.2 $70.2

133.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,620 $1,620

50.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,474 $1,474

32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$3,728 $3,728

27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$3,116 $3,116

11.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,460 $3,460

112.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$3,536 $3,536

44.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,963 $3,963

64.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.1

12.95%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8% 24.3% $473

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8% 32.3% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3% 33.4% $153

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7% 28.1% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1% 42.1% $80

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8% 41.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5% 40% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,620 in Lowell, MA. 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 64% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $69.0 in Lowell, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $370 – making Lowell, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🕒 Local time

01:10 1:10 AM

04:10 4:10 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

106,519

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Lowell, MA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Lowell, MA

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 Lowell, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 41%, 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 $4,033 in Lowell, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 93% less in Lowell, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,410 in Lowell, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,689 in Lowell, MA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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 Lowell, MA. 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.