Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Malden, MA: $3,435 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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
167

Cost of Living Index in Malden, MA
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Malden, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Malden, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,435

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Malden, 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 Malden, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Malden, MA $3,435

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,750 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Malden, MA $4,750

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,065 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Malden, MA $6,065

Seattle, WA costs about 10% more than Malden, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Malden, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Malden, MA by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.65 $19.65

28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$95.0 $95.0

6.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.72 $13.72

7.58%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.31 $5.31

22.41%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.97 $2.97

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.23 $2.23

40.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.68 $5.68

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.10 $8.10

0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.25 $1.25

-6.40%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.90 $3.90

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.49 $5.49

16.58%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.77 $4.77

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.32 $12.32

51.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.03 $14.03

33.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.57 $17.57

30.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.63 $6.63

-8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.72 $1.72

13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.52 $5.52

-0.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.50 $5.50

18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.42 $4.42

-21.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.89 $1.89

74.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.59 $2.59

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.23 $2.23

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.06 $13.06

-4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.43 $13.43

10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.17 $2.17

93.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.40 $4.40

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.55 $2.55

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$88.3 $88.3

20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.53 $2.53

1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.79 $1.79

-8.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$27.47 $27.47

9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.09 $1.09

29.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

31.74%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.58%

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

$308 $308

$247 $247

24.67%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.2 $54.2

27.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.66 $34.66

120.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.85 $15.85

13.69%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,848 $1,848

48.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$29.4K $29.4K

4.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.0 $56.0

41.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$37.57 $37.57

44.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$79.5 $79.5

59.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$99.9 $99.9

59.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,422 $2,422

3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,975 $1,975

-1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,534 $3,534

44.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,834 $2,834

24.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,644 $4,644

39.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malden, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Malden, MA

$2K 57.5% 1.9% $36

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Malden, MA

$446 13% 18.4% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Malden, MA

$387 11.3% 16.4% $76

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Malden, MA

$327 9.5% 19.4% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Malden, MA

$123 3.6% 34.9% $66

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Malden, MA

$110 3.2% 14.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Malden, MA

$66 1.9% 41% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,422 in Malden, 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 39% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $95 in Malden, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $446 – making Malden, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Malden, MA

🕒 Local time

05:53 5:53 AM

08:53 8:53 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

59,450

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Malden, MA 4,000 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Malden, 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 Malden, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,152 in Malden, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,422 in Malden, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Malden, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,848 in Malden, 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 $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,435 in Malden, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Malden, MA – 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 Malden, MA. 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.