Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Moline, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Moline, IL: $2,195 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Moline, IL, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Moline, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,195
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Moline, IL

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 Moline, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,195 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Moline, IL $2,195

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,245 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Moline, IL $3,245

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,295 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Moline, IL $4,295

Seattle, WA costs about 72% more than Moline, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Moline, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Moline, IL by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$20.20 $20.20
25.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$90.6 $90.6
11.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$8.34 $8.34
76.98%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$5.07 $5.07
28.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$2.68 $2.68
19.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.46 $1.46
115.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$4.04 $4.04
97.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$3.89 $3.89
109.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.96 $0.96
21.87%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$3.70 $3.70
43.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$5.17 $5.17
23.79%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$3.32 $3.32
52.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$13.44 $13.44
39.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$11.72 $11.72
59.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$15.75 $15.75
45.27%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$4.97 $4.97
21.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.62 $1.62
20.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$3.94 $3.94
39.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$4.94 $4.94
31.98%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.71 $2.71
28.78%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.72 $2.72
20.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.25 $2.25
24.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.66 $2.66
-3.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$13.97 $13.97
-10.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$15.26 $15.26
-2.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.68 $1.68
149.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$1.82 $1.82
218.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$1.07 $1.07
185.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$32.05 $32.05
230.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.17 $3.17
-18.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.37 $1.37
19.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$25.24 $25.24
19.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.12 $1.12
25.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$35.6K $35.6K
3.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$23.9K $23.9K
11.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$191 $191
60.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$69.2 $69.2
-0.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$60.0 $60.0
43.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$49.55 $49.55
54.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
$39.03 $39.03
-9.04%
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$17.91 $17.91
0.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$1,836 $1,836
49.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$23.9K $23.9K
28.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$67.0 $67.0
18.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$52.0 $52.0
4.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$92.5 $92.5
37.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$79.6 $79.6
99.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$967 $967
159.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$921 $921
110.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$1,410 $1,410
262.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$1,351 $1,351
162.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$1,526 $1,526
383.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$1,522 $1,522
228.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Moline, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
5.56
23.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Moline, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Moline, IL
$921 52.5% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Moline, IL
$399 27.1% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Moline, IL
$320 30.8% $142
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Moline, IL
$292 28.1% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Moline, IL
$131 30.6% $58
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Moline, IL
$46 64.1% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Moline, IL
$85 24.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $967 in Moline, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $91 in Moline, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $399 – making Moline, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Moline, IL
🕒 Local time
21:02 9:02 PM
23:02 11:02 PM
2 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
42,985
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Moline, IL 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Moline, IL

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 Moline, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Seattle, WA or Moline, IL?
Seattle, WA costs about 72% more than Moline, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Seattle, WA and in Moline, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,292 in Moline, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Seattle, WA or Moline, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Moline, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $967 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.
How do dining costs compare in Seattle, WA and in Moline, IL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $91 in Moline, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Seattle, WA compared to Moline, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,195 in Moline, IL. That makes Moline, IL about 42% cheaper.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Seattle, WA or in Moline, IL?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,195 in Moline, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Moline, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Moline, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 42% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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