Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Missoula, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Missoula, MT: $2,609 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Missoula, MT
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Missoula, MT Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Missoula, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Missoula, MT

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 Missoula, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,609 in Missoula, MT.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Missoula, MT $2,609

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $4,087 in Missoula, MT.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Missoula, MT $4,087

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,565 in Missoula, MT.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Missoula, MT $5,565

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 44% more expensive than in Missoula, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Missoula, MT 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$16.73 $16.73

42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$75.3 $75.3

31.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$9.27 $9.27

61.17%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.37 $4.37

55.38%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.10 $3.10

4.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.34 $2.34

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.86 $5.86

40.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.93 $5.93

32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.12 $1.12

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.44 $3.44

53.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.98 $4.98

15.66%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.27 $4.27

14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$24.81 $24.81

-18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$9.67 $9.67

85.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$18.98 $18.98

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.81 $4.81

23.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.46 $1.46

29.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$6.51 $6.51

-17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.73 $3.73

76.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.33 $2.33

45.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.96 $2.96

-2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.41 $2.41

19.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.90 $3.90

-37.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.50 $10.50

16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$24.82 $24.82

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.98 $1.98

121.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.38 $4.38

34.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$5.13 $5.13

-50.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$4.99 $4.99

-65.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$39.29 $39.29

-24.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.09 $1.09

38.53%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$32.3K $32.3K

11.99%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

4.71%

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

$289 $289

$139 $139

108.00%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$52.7 $52.7

31.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$69.2 $69.2

22.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$49.22 $49.22

41.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$22.25 $22.25

57.53%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.75 $13.75

30.69%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$2,009 $2,009

40.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$17.7K $17.7K

147.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$66.4 $66.4

37.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$44.46 $44.46

23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$104 $104

21.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$149 $149

8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,522 $1,522

69.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,324 $1,324

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,992 $2,992

70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,649 $2,649

33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,211 $4,211

74.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$3,475 $3,475

41.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,666 $3,666

75.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.84

-0.58%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Missoula, MT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Missoula, MT

$1.3K 50.7% 31.9% $619

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Missoula, MT

$477 18.3% 12.2% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Missoula, MT

$261 10% 41.1% $182

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Missoula, MT

$277 10.6% 30.6% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Missoula, MT

$164 6.3% 16.3% $32

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Missoula, MT

$30 * 1.2% 77.2% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Missoula, MT

$77 2.9% 27.2% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,522 in Missoula, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 76% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $75 in Missoula, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $477 per month, with Missoula, MT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Missoula, MT

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

16:50 4:50 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

73,489

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Missoula, MT 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Missoula, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Missoula, MT is about 31% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 76% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,522 in Missoula, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,819 in Seattle, WA versus $2,009 in Missoula, MT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Missoula, MT – a meal for two runs $75 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Missoula, MT is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Missoula, MT is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Missoula, MT wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.