Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Madison, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Madison, WI: $2,931 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Madison, WI

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,931 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Madison, WI $2,931

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,224 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Madison, WI $4,224

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,517 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Madison, WI $5,517

Seattle, WA costs about 28% more than Madison, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Madison, WI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Madison, WI by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.92 $19.92

19.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$65.0 $65.0

51.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$13.17 $13.17

13.44%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.66 $5.66

19.96%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.02 $3.02

6.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.45 $2.45

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.62 $6.62

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.72 $7.72

1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.95 $0.95

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.17 $3.17

66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.18 $4.18

37.80%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.72 $3.72

31.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$14.49 $14.49

39.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$12.15 $12.15

47.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$20.36 $20.36

14.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.59 $4.59

29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.62 $1.62

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.95 $4.95

8.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.67 $4.67

40.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.61 $2.61

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.83 $2.83

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.08 $2.08

38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.89 $10.89

11.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.73 $15.73

-3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.68 $2.68

63.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.40 $4.40

33.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.94 $1.94

52.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$65.5 $65.5

66.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.91 $3.91

-35.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.96 $1.96

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$44.61 $44.61

-33.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.07 $1.07

41.12%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

19.38%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.76%

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

$289 $289

$266 $266

8.61%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$45.57 $45.57

51.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$80.5 $80.5

5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$51.6 $51.6

34.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$10.12 $10.12

246.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.70 $14.70

22.24%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,594 $1,594

76.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$21.6K $21.6K

103.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$63.4 $63.4

43.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$46.65 $46.65

18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$108 $108

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$121 $121

33.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,723 $1,723

49.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,465 $1,465

32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$3,146 $3,146

62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,438 $2,438

45.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,429 $4,429

66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,478 $2,478

98.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,430 $4,430

45.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.81

-0.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Madison, WI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Madison, WI

$1.5K 50% 24.6% $478

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Madison, WI

$416 14.2% 23.4% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Madison, WI

$392 13.4% 11.5% $51

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Madison, WI

$337 11.5% 15.5% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Madison, WI

$152 5.2% 22.2% $43

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Madison, WI

$87 3% 34.2% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Madison, WI

$81 2.8% 23.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,723 in Madison, WI. 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 46% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $65 in Madison, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $416 – making Madison, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🕒 Local time

06:56 6:56 AM

08:56 8:56 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

248,951

💱 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 Madison, WI 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Madison, WI

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 Madison, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA, $2,931 in Madison, WI – Madison, WI comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,396 in Madison, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,723 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Madison, WI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,594 in Madison, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,931 in Madison, WI to $3,762 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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