Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Miami, FL

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Miami, FL: $3,800 and $3,815 a month, rent and utilities included.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Miami, FL
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Miami, FL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Miami, FL

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 Miami, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,815 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Miami, FL $3,815

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,814 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Miami, FL $5,814

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,812 in Miami, FL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Miami, FL $7,812

Seattle, WA and Miami, FL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Seattle, WA and Miami, FL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Miami, FL by 183%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$30.26 $30.26

-16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$121 $121

-15.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.97 $14.97

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.74 $5.74

14.81%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.48 $3.48

-7.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.12 $3.12

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$7.90 $7.90

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.94 $9.94

-19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.41 $1.41

-14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.60 $4.60

11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.92 $5.92

6.42%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.93 $4.93

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$18.66 $18.66

2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$16.66 $16.66

11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$23.97 $23.97

-3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.11 $5.11

13.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.21 $2.21

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.32 $4.32

22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.41 $4.41

46.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.33 $3.33

7.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.32 $3.32

-5.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.99 $2.99

-4.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.22 $2.22

9.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.13 $9.13

39.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.81 $14.81

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.49 $2.49

67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.12 $3.12

91.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.22 $2.22

36.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$112 $112

-1.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.86 $2.86

-10.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.01 $2.01

-18.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$24.23 $24.23

22.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.06 $1.06

33.96%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.4K $36.4K

-1.80%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.60%

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

$299 $299

$179 $179

67.33%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$63.8 $63.8

11.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$73.8 $73.8

19.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$76.7 $76.7

3.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$22.47 $22.47

57.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$20.24 $20.24

-15.42%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,815 $1,815

66.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$40.5K $40.5K

-21.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$51.2 $51.2

50.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$56.4 $56.4

-2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$101 $101

24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$131 $131

24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,781 $2,781

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$2,157 $2,157

-9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$5,746 $5,746

-18.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$3,915 $3,915

-9.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$7,044 $7,044

4.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$3,699 $3,699

36.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$4,103 $4,103

53.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.63

3.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Miami, FL: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Miami, FL

$2.2K 56.5% 10.3% $201

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Miami, FL

$496 13% 8.3% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Miami, FL

$316 8.3% 31% $142

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Miami, FL

$442 11.6% 8.1% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Miami, FL

$153 4% 19.3% $37

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Miami, FL

$134 3.5% 0.8% $1

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Miami, FL

$117 3.1% 3% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $2,781 in Miami, FL. 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $121 in Miami, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $542 in Seattle, WA vs $496 in Miami, FL – so Miami, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Miami, FL

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

16:30 4:30 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

404,048

💱 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 Miami, FL 4,390 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Miami, FL

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 Miami, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,723 in Miami, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, 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 $101 in Seattle, WA and $121 in Miami, FL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Seattle, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $3,815 in Miami, FL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Seattle, WA – 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 Seattle, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Miami, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.