Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Meridian, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Meridian, MS: $2,675 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Meridian, MS
Learn more

Meridian, MS Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,675 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Meridian, MS $2,675

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,974 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Meridian, MS $3,974

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,273 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Meridian, MS $5,273

Seattle, WA costs about 41% more than Meridian, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Meridian, MS sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Meridian, MS by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$26.23 $26.23

-9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$105 $105

-6.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.38 $10.38

43.93%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.08 $4.08

66.42%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.30 $2.30

40.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.11 $2.11

49.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.85 $5.85

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.12 $8.12

-3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.91 $0.91

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.17 $4.17

26.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.02 $2.02

185.15%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.88 $3.88

26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$15.29 $15.29

32.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$8.66 $8.66

107.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.37 $15.37

51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.98 $2.98

99.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.07 $1.07

76.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.79 $2.79

91.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.35 $4.35

51.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.98 $1.98

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.15 $3.15

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.12 $2.12

36.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.66 $2.66

-8.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.95 $8.95

36.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$16.60 $16.60

-8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.58 $2.58

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.91 $3.91

50.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.10 $2.10

40.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$53.5 $53.5

104.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.58 $3.58

-29.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.45 $1.45

18.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$34.67 $34.67

-14.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.92 $0.92

64.13%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$33.4K $33.4K

8.19%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.13%

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

$289 $289

$264 $264

9.47%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$71.3 $71.3

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$74.3 $74.3

14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$42.32 $42.32

64.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$12.52 $12.52

43.53%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$596 $596

372.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$24.1K $24.1K

82.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$56.4 $56.4

61.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$42.70 $42.70

28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$87.9 $87.9

44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$119 $119

35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,554 $1,554

66.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,264 $1,264

53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,579 $2,579

97.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,112 $2,112

67.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,858 $2,858

157.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,681 $2,681

83.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,203 $4,203

53.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.73

1.04%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Meridian, MS: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Meridian, MS

$1.3K 47.3% 34.9% $678

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Meridian, MS

$370 13.9% 31.9% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Meridian, MS

$409 15.3% 7.5% $33

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Meridian, MS

$353 13.2% 11.5% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Meridian, MS

$138 5.2% 29.7% $58

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Meridian, MS

$73 2.7% 45% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Meridian, MS

$67 2.5% 36.1% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,554 in Meridian, MS. 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 53% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $105 in Meridian, MS. Groceries tell a different story – $544 in Seattle, WA vs $370 in Meridian, MS – so Meridian, MS wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Meridian, MS

🕒 Local time

19:32 7:32 PM

21:32 9:32 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

38,200

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Meridian, MS 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,012 in Meridian, MS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meridian, MS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,554 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA and $105 in Meridian, MS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,675 in Meridian, MS. That makes Meridian, MS about 29% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,675 in Meridian, MS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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