Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medford, MA: $3,087 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Medford, MA
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Medford, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,087

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,087 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Medford, MA $3,087

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,233 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Medford, MA $4,233

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,378 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Medford, MA $5,378

Seattle, WA costs about 23% more than Medford, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Medford, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Medford, MA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.23 $18.23

38.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$95.9 $95.9

5.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.15 $12.15

21.48%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.50 $5.50

18.18%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.96 $2.96

8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.52 $2.52

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.89 $7.89

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.73 $8.73

-6.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.08 $1.08

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.00 $4.00

32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.35 $5.35

19.63%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.74 $4.74

6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.48 $11.48

62.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.58 $14.58

28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.81 $17.81

28.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.61 $6.61

-8.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.80 $1.80

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.38 $5.38

2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.54 $5.54

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.47 $4.47

-21.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.18 $4.18

-21.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.01 $3.01

-6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.00 $3.00

-14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.10 $13.10

-4.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.47 $13.47

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.10 $2.10

99.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.29 $4.29

35.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.38 $2.38

28.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$60.0 $60.0

76.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.63 $2.63

-1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.77 $1.77

-7.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$28.34 $28.34

6.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.07 $1.07

31.78%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

32.30%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.54%

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

$308 $308

$246 $246

25.28%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.9 $54.9

25.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$85.3 $85.3

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$41.33 $41.33

84.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.19 $14.19

26.99%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,839 $1,839

49.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$30.1K $30.1K

1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$57.8 $57.8

36.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$38.42 $38.42

41.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$79.3 $79.3

59.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$99.8 $99.8

59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,600 $1,600

56.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,639 $1,639

18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,510 $2,510

103.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,164 $2,164

63.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,745 $2,745

168.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,408 $2,408

107.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

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 Medford, MA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Medford, MA

$1.6K 53.1% 15.4% $299

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Medford, MA

$461 14.9% 15.7% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Medford, MA

$386 12.5% 16.7% $77

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Medford, MA

$327 10.6% 19.5% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Medford, MA

$124 4% 34.3% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Medford, MA

$81 2.6% 37.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Medford, MA

$70 2.3% 38% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,600 in Medford, MA. 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 $96 in Medford, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $461 – making Medford, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🕒 Local time

16:08 4:08 PM

19:08 7:08 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

56,173

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Medford, MA 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 Medford, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 23%, 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 $4,631 in Medford, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medford, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,600 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,087 in Medford, MA. That makes Medford, MA about 18% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Medford, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,087 in Medford, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Medford, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.