Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Manhattan, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Manhattan, KS: $2,248 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Manhattan, KS
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Manhattan, KS Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Manhattan, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,248

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Manhattan, KS

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 Manhattan, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,248 in Manhattan, KS.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Manhattan, KS $2,248

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,250 in Manhattan, KS.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Manhattan, KS $3,250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,252 in Manhattan, KS.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Manhattan, KS $4,252

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 68% more expensive than in Manhattan, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Manhattan, KS 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.90 $14.90

69.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$81.4 $81.4

23.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.21 $12.21

20.88%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.43 $5.43

19.71%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.04 $2.04

57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.46 $1.46

115.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.90 $4.90

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.25 $9.25

-12.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.94 $0.94

24.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.29 $3.29

61.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.01 $6.01

6.49%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.57 $4.57

10.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.49 $11.49

62.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.54 $8.54

119.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.95 $14.95

53.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.73 $6.73

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.16 $2.16

-9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.87 $5.87

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.22 $4.22

54.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.43 $3.43

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.84 $3.84

-14.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.84 $1.84

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.02 $9.02

38.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.94 $16.94

-12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.71 $1.71

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.56 $2.56

126.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$60.7 $60.7

74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.87 $4.87

-47.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.82 $1.82

-9.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$34.66 $34.66

-13.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.85 $0.85

65.88%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.0K $28.0K

31.51%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.16%

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

$308 $308

$147 $147

109.22%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$46.90 $46.90

47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$66.1 $66.1

30.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$76.0 $76.0

0.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.75 $14.75

22.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$814 $814

237.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$11.3K $11.3K

170.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$47.85 $47.85

65.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.46 $35.46

53.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$90.7 $90.7

39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$117 $117

36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$900 $900

178.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$998 $998

94.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,462 $1,462

249.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,412 $1,412

150.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,514 $1,514

387.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,504 $1,504

232.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,407 $3,407

89.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.33

8.85%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Manhattan, KS: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Manhattan, KS

$998 44.4% 48.5% $941

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Manhattan, KS

$402 17.9% 26.6% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Manhattan, KS

$260 11.6% 43.8% $203

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Manhattan, KS

$278 12.4% 31.6% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Manhattan, KS

$131 5.8% 30.7% $58

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Manhattan, KS

$75 * 3.3% 42.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Manhattan, KS

$106 4.7% 6.2% $7

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 $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $900 in Manhattan, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 90% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $81 in Manhattan, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $402 per month, with Manhattan, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Manhattan, KS

🕒 Local time

21:44 9:44 PM

23:44 11:44 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

1,694,251

💱 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 Manhattan, KS 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Manhattan, KS

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 Manhattan, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manhattan, KS is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $900 in Manhattan, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $814 in Manhattan, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,248 in Manhattan, KS versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Manhattan, KS but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Manhattan, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Manhattan, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.