Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Lynnwood, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lynnwood, WA: $3,337 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
162

Cost of Living Index in Lynnwood, WA
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Lynnwood, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Lynnwood, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $3,337 in Lynnwood, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Lynnwood, WA $3,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,679 in Lynnwood, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Lynnwood, WA $4,679

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $6,020 in Lynnwood, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Lynnwood, WA $6,020

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 13% more expensive than in Lynnwood, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Lynnwood, WA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$22.12 $22.12

10.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$79.9 $79.9

22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.94 $11.94

23.87%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.67 $5.67

14.99%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.19 $3.19

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.52 $2.52

25.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.88 $6.88

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.80 $7.80

2.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.09 $1.09

11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.54 $4.54

13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.30 $4.30

40.70%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.62 $5.62

-13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$14.86 $14.86

29.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.92 $13.92

35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$11.18 $11.18

108.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.93 $4.93

21.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.73 $1.73

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.15 $4.15

26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.47 $4.47

46.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.17 $2.17

66.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.02 $3.02

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.74 $1.74

59.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.95 $1.95

28.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.51 $12.51

-2.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$18.78 $18.78

-21.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.71 $1.71

146.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.43 $3.43

68.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.07 $3.07

-3.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.52 $2.52

5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.64 $1.64

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$29.84 $29.84

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.38 $1.38

7.97%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.57%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.22%

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

$302 $302

$192 $192

56.94%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$81.5 $81.5

-13.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$64.5 $64.5

32.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$49.36 $49.36

57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$17.02 $17.02

4.82%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,963 $1,963

51.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$31.7K $31.7K

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.34 $49.34

55.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.33 $44.33

21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$85.6 $85.6

49.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$102 $102

60.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,045 $2,045

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,999 $1,999

-2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,601 $2,601

82.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$3,043 $3,043

13.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,292 $4,292

51.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.44

6.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lynnwood, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Lynnwood, WA

$2K 59.9% 2.7% $52

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Lynnwood, WA

$413 12.4% 24.2% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Lynnwood, WA

$338 10.1% 26% $119

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Lynnwood, WA

$354 10.6% 11.5% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Lynnwood, WA

$127 3.8% 33.5% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Lynnwood, WA

$23 * 0.7% 82.2% $106

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Lynnwood, WA

$83 2.5% 26.5% $30

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,045 in Lynnwood, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 52% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Lynnwood, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $413 per month, with Lynnwood, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Lynnwood, WA

🕒 Local time

10:18 10:18 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

38,568

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Lynnwood, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lynnwood, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lynnwood, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,045 in Lynnwood, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,963 in Lynnwood, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lynnwood, WA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lynnwood, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lynnwood, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,337 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lynnwood, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Lynnwood, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lynnwood, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.