Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Maricopa, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Maricopa, AZ: $2,504 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Maricopa, AZ
Learn more

Maricopa, AZ Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Maricopa, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,504

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Maricopa, AZ

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 Maricopa, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,504 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Maricopa, AZ $2,504

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,476 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Maricopa, AZ $3,476

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,448 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Maricopa, AZ $4,448

Seattle, WA costs about 51% more than Maricopa, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Maricopa, AZ sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Maricopa, AZ by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.62 $19.62

28.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.9 $78.9

27.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.84 $12.84

14.95%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.17 $5.17

25.73%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.77 $2.77

15.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.25 $2.25

39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.92 $6.92

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.50 $7.50

8.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.97 $0.97

20.62%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.99 $2.99

77.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.00 $5.00

28.00%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.58 $4.58

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.28 $13.28

40.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.42 $11.42

63.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.16 $17.16

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.64 $4.64

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.94 $1.94

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.91 $3.91

40.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.13 $4.13

57.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.46 $2.46

41.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.10 $2.10

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.14 $2.14

20.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.00 $11.00

13.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$9.17 $9.17

62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.53 $2.53

65.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.78 $3.78

53.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.97 $1.97

54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$60.9 $60.9

73.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.70 $2.70

-4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.35 $1.35

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$35.30 $35.30

-14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.10 $1.10

28.18%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.7K $36.7K

0.15%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.83%

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

$308 $308

$147 $147

109.12%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$62.1 $62.1

11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.0 $64.0

34.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$45.04 $45.04

69.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.77 $12.77

41.11%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,078 $1,078

154.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$15.6K $15.6K

96.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$31.64 $31.64

150.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$24.67 $24.67

120.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$64.5 $64.5

96.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$75.4 $75.4

110.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,535 $1,535

63.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,283 $1,283

51.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,897 $1,897

169.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,679 $1,679

110.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,536 $2,536

190.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,193 $2,193

128.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,490 $6,490

-0.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

72.25%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Maricopa, AZ: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Maricopa, AZ

$1.3K 51.2% 33.8% $656

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Maricopa, AZ

$383 15.3% 29.9% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Maricopa, AZ

$273 10.9% 41% $190

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Maricopa, AZ

$327 13.1% 19.4% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Maricopa, AZ

$88 3.5% 53.2% $100

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Maricopa, AZ

$78 3.1% 39.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Maricopa, AZ

$71 2.8% 37.3% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,535 in Maricopa, AZ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $79 in Maricopa, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $383 – making Maricopa, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Maricopa, AZ

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

62,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Maricopa, AZ 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Maricopa, AZ

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 Maricopa, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 51% more than Maricopa, AZ, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,756 in Maricopa, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maricopa, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,535 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $79 in Maricopa, AZ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,504 in Maricopa, AZ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Maricopa, AZ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Maricopa, AZ is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 34% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.