Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Memphis, TN $2,501

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,673 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Memphis, TN $3,673

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,844 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Memphis, TN $4,844

Seattle, WA costs about 52% more than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Memphis, TN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Memphis, TN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$17.99 $17.99

40.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$74.5 $74.5

36.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$12.16 $12.16

22.12%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.68 $5.68

16.02%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.40 $2.40

34.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.99 $1.99

57.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$7.12 $7.12

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.94 $0.94

28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.15 $3.15

62.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.96 $3.96

59.09%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$3.77 $3.77

29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$13.18 $13.18

44.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$11.45 $11.45

61.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$18.84 $18.84

22.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.67 $5.67

2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.71 $5.71

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.98 $4.98

30.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.14 $3.14

13.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.17 $4.17

-24.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.64 $2.64

7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.16 $2.16

12.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.87 $10.87

17.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$12.94 $12.94

15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.76 $1.76

136.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$1.60 $1.60

274.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.02 $1.02

198.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$38.55 $38.55

185.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.02 $2.02

26.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.41 $1.41

16.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$20.36 $20.36

45.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.02 $1.02

39.22%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$37.3K $37.3K

-4.28%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.63%

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

$299 $299

$187 $187

59.77%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$86.3 $86.3

-17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$75.8 $75.8

16.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$31.47 $31.47

152.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$16.62 $16.62

112.82%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$14.76 $14.76

15.99%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,720 $1,720

75.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$24.8K $24.8K

27.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$47.08 $47.08

64.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$33.58 $33.58

64.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$82.2 $82.2

52.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$156 $156

4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,448 $1,448

70.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,175 $1,175

66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,073 $2,073

127.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,900 $1,900

86.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,755 $1,755

318.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,351 $1,351

273.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,523 $3,523

78.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.6

3.79%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47% 39.9% $781

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1% 25.5% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Memphis, TN

$349 14% 23.8% $109

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7% 22.2% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7% 24.3% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1% 61.1% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4% 46.4% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,448 in Memphis, TN. 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 78% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $74.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $404 – making Memphis, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🕒 Local time

16:43 4:43 PM

18:43 6:43 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

633,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Memphis, TN 3,000 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA, $2,501 in Memphis, TN – roughly 52% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,752 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Memphis, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 185% less in Memphis, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,013 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,720 in Memphis, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $2,501 in Memphis, TN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,501 in Memphis, TN to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Memphis, TN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.