Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Manchester, TN Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Manchester, TN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,593 in Manchester, TN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,281 in Manchester, TN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $3,969 in Manchester, TN.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 48% more expensive than in Manchester, TN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Manchester, TN 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$13.75 $13.75

79.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$52.1 $52.1

90.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.05 $10.05

50.15%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$4.66 $4.66

42.06%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.50 $2.50

25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.07 $2.07

43.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$5.91 $5.91

37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.06 $5.06

55.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.85 $0.85

37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.10 $4.10

26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.28 $4.28

49.53%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$2.98 $2.98

64.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$11.70 $11.70

83.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$9.04 $9.04

105.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$16.33 $16.33

41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$4.28 $4.28

35.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.14 $2.14

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.22 $4.22

27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.11 $4.11

53.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.85 $3.85

-1.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.82 $3.82

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.33 $2.33

23.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.61 $2.61

3.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$7.13 $7.13

98.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.79 $14.79

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.78 $1.78

144.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.01 $3.01

91.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.08 $2.08

47.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.94 $2.94

-12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.33 $2.33

-29.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$40.39 $40.39

-26.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.88 $0.88

56.82%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$32.6K $32.6K

11.77%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-4.49%

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

$296 $296

$257 $257

15.02%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$53.5 $53.5

33.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$88.1 $88.1

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$41.33 $41.33

97.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$17.08 $17.08

7.32%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,298 $1,298

136.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.0K $16.0K

90.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$76.8 $76.8

0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$45.47 $45.47

18.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$130 $130

-1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$138 $138

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,068 $1,068

126.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,314 $1,314

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,089 $2,089

127.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$1,373 $1,373

161.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,612 $2,612

183.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,207 $2,207

129.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.43

-0.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Manchester, TN: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,068 in Manchester, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $52.0 in Manchester, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $384 per month, with Manchester, TN cheaper across the board.

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 Manchester, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester, TN is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,754 in Seattle, WA and $3,889 in Manchester, TN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,068 in Manchester, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,836 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,593 in Manchester, TN – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,593 in Manchester, TN versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Manchester, TN but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Manchester, TN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manchester, TN is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Manchester, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.