Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Montpelier, VT

For one person, living is cheaper in Montpelier, VT: $2,304 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 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
111

Cost of Living Index in Montpelier, VT
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Montpelier, VT Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Montpelier, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,304

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Montpelier, VT

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 Montpelier, VT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,304 in Montpelier, VT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Montpelier, VT $2,304

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,487 in Montpelier, VT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Montpelier, VT $3,487

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,671 in Montpelier, VT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Montpelier, VT $4,671

Seattle, WA costs about 63% more than Montpelier, VT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Montpelier, VT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Montpelier, VT by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$20.71 $20.71

14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$78.7 $78.7

25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.45 $10.45

42.97%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.17 $4.17

62.83%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.13 $3.13

3.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.49 $1.49

111.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.57 $7.57

8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.82 $6.82

15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.35 $1.35

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.68 $4.68

13.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.22 $4.22

36.49%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$5.04 $5.04

-2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$17.85 $17.85

13.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$12.89 $12.89

39.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.08 $17.08

36.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.97 $5.97

-0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.69 $1.69

11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.65 $4.65

15.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.52 $4.52

45.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.64 $1.64

106.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.62 $2.62

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.17 $1.17

147.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.01 $3.01

-19.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.68 $13.68

-10.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.97 $11.97

27.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.69 $1.69

159.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.04 $2.04

188.73%

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

$4.90 $4.90

-48.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.19 $2.19

-21.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$47.76 $47.76

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.97 $0.97

55.67%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.6K $27.6K

31.18%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.51%

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

$289 $289

$196 $196

47.02%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$53.4 $53.4

29.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$52.6 $52.6

61.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$12.07 $12.07

48.88%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$813 $813

246.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$35.1K $35.1K

25.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$39.78 $39.78

129.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$30.46 $30.46

80.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$52.4 $52.4

142.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$81.0 $81.0

99.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,426 $1,426

80.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,118 $1,118

73.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,434 $2,434

109.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,990 $1,990

78.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Montpelier, VT: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Montpelier, VT

$1.1K 48.5% 42.5% $825

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Montpelier, VT

$435 18.9% 19.9% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Montpelier, VT

$302 13.1% 31.7% $140

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Montpelier, VT

$317 13.8% 20.5% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Montpelier, VT

$92 4% 53.2% $104

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Montpelier, VT

$16 * 0.7% 88% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Montpelier, VT

$24 * 1.1% 77.1% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,426 in Montpelier, VT. 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 $99 in Seattle, WA versus $79 in Montpelier, VT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $435 – making Montpelier, VT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Montpelier, VT

🕒 Local time

15:13 3:13 PM

18:13 6:13 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

7,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Montpelier, VT 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Montpelier, VT

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 Montpelier, VT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 63% more than Montpelier, VT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,456 in Montpelier, VT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montpelier, VT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,426 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,304 in Montpelier, VT. That makes Montpelier, VT about 39% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $813 in Montpelier, VT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,304 in Montpelier, VT. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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