Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Merrill, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Merrill, WI: $2,669 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Merrill, WI
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Merrill, WI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Merrill, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,669

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Merrill, WI

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 Merrill, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,669 in Merrill, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Merrill, WI $2,669

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,917 in Merrill, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Merrill, WI $3,917

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,164 in Merrill, WI, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Merrill, WI $5,164

Seattle, WA costs about 42% more than Merrill, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Merrill, WI sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Merrill, WI by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.92 $19.92

23.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$73.8 $73.8

33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.41 $11.41

29.62%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.22 $5.22

24.90%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.73 $2.73

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.99 $1.99

59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.83 $5.83

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.18 $7.18

11.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.06 $1.06

14.15%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.58 $3.58

43.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.30 $4.30

40.70%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.05 $4.05

20.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.47 $12.47

53.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.25 $11.25

68.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.16 $17.16

35.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.95 $4.95

21.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.57 $1.57

22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.20 $4.20

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.78 $4.78

37.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.85 $2.85

27.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.03 $3.03

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.11 $2.11

31.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.19 $2.19

14.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.24 $10.24

18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.17 $15.17

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.96 $1.96

115.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.41 $3.41

69.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 $2.05

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$110 $110

-3.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.17 $3.17

-16.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.76 $1.76

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$30.41 $30.41

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.97 $0.97

53.61%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

29.23%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.45%

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

$302 $302

$197 $197

53.30%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$58.0 $58.0

20.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.8 $69.8

22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$41.50 $41.50

87.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$8.82 $8.82

292.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.89 $13.89

28.44%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,421 $1,421

109.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

31.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$53.1 $53.1

44.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.32 $41.32

30.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$90.2 $90.2

42.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$117 $117

40.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,625 $1,625

50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,295 $1,295

50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,535 $2,535

87.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,148 $2,148

61.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,743 $2,743

168.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,374 $2,374

115.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$7,146 $7,146

-8.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Merrill, WI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Merrill, WI

$1.3K 48.5% 33.5% $652

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Merrill, WI

$396 14.8% 27.4% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Merrill, WI

$325 12.2% 29% $133

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Merrill, WI

$319 11.9% 20.3% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Merrill, WI

$135 5.1% 28.8% $55

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Merrill, WI

$130 4.9% 0.5% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Merrill, WI

$69 2.6% 39% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,625 in Merrill, WI. 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 10% higher in Merrill, WI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $74.0 in Merrill, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $396 – making Merrill, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Merrill, WI

🕒 Local time

21:48 9:48 PM

23:48 11:48 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

9,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Merrill, WI 2,500 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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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 Merrill, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,004 in Merrill, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $74.0 in Merrill, WI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,669 in Merrill, WI. That's a gap of about 42%.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,669 in Merrill, WI. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Merrill, WI. 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.