Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Middletown, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Middletown, OH: $1,964 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 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
93

Cost of Living Index in Middletown, OH
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Middletown, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Middletown, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Middletown, OH

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 Middletown, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $1,964 in Middletown, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Middletown, OH $1,964

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $2,921 in Middletown, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Middletown, OH $2,921

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $3,878 in Middletown, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Middletown, OH $3,878

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 93% more expensive than in Middletown, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Middletown, OH 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.79 $14.79

71.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$65.4 $65.4

54.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.21 $9.21

60.26%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.41 $4.41

47.39%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.38 $2.38

34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.02 $2.02

55.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$2.93 $2.93

172.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.83 $5.83

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.71 $0.71

64.79%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.18 $3.18

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.40 $3.40

88.24%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.92 $2.92

73.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.45 $12.45

50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.09 $10.09

85.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.34 $17.34

31.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.62 $5.62

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.46 $1.46

33.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.26 $2.26

143.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.26 $4.26

53.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.25 $2.25

55.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.94 $2.94

11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.94 $1.94

44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.17 $11.17

11.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.99 $11.99

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.05 $2.05

104.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.49 $3.49

66.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 $2.02

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$66.4 $66.4

59.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.99 $1.99

29.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 $1.69

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$34.51 $34.51

-12.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.81 $0.81

74.07%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$31.0K $31.0K

18.74%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.31%

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

$308 $308

$234 $234

31.20%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$60.0 $60.0

15.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$48.87 $48.87

76.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$42.89 $42.89

78.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$10.06 $10.06

79.13%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,719 $1,719

59.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

28.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$55.0 $55.0

43.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.98 $44.98

20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.1 $91.1

39.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$946 $946

165.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$726 $726

166.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,329 $1,329

285.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,212 $1,212

192.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,499 $2,499

195.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,574 $2,574

94.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,933 $5,933

9.05%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Middletown, OH: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Middletown, OH

$726 37% 62.5% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Middletown, OH

$363 18.5% 33.6% $184

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Middletown, OH

$343 17.5% 25.8% $119

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Middletown, OH

$243 12.4% 40.2% $163

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Middletown, OH

$141 7.2% 25.5% $48

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Middletown, OH

$85 4.3% 34.2% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Middletown, OH

$63 3.2% 44% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $946 in Middletown, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $65 in Middletown, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $363 per month, with Middletown, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Middletown, OH

🕒 Local time

01:22 1:22 AM

04:22 4:22 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

47,648

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Middletown, OH 3,150 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs Middletown, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Middletown, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Middletown, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $946 in Middletown, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Middletown, OH – a meal for two runs $65 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Middletown, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.