Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Morristown, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Morristown, TN: $2,012 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,782
/mo nomad
Morristown, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,012
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Morristown, TN

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 Morristown, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,012 in Morristown, TN.

  • Seattle, WA $3,782
  • Morristown, TN $2,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,099 in Morristown, TN.

  • Seattle, WA $5,636
  • Morristown, TN $3,099

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,187 in Morristown, TN.

  • Seattle, WA $7,489
  • Morristown, TN $4,187

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 88% more expensive than in Morristown, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Morristown, TN 48% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.52 $24.52
$19.70 $19.70
24.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.2 $98.2
$99.3 $99.3
-1.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.79 $14.79
$11.15 $11.15
32.65%
Cappuccino
$6.52 $6.52
$5.36 $5.36
21.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$2.34 $2.34
38.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 $3.17
$2.07 $2.07
53.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.85 $7.85
$6.02 $6.02
30.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.03 $8.03
$7.42 $7.42
8.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$0.91 $0.91
32.97%
White Bread (500g)
$5.14 $5.14
$3.74 $3.74
37.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.05 $6.05
$3.99 $3.99
51.63%
Eggs
$4.88 $4.88
$4.16 $4.16
17.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.18 $19.18
$12.24 $12.24
56.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.91 $18.91
$14.92 $14.92
26.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.31 $23.31
$13.36 $13.36
74.48%
Apples (1kg)
$5.99 $5.99
$6.73 $6.73
-11.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.64 $1.64
17.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.25 $5.25
$4.34 $4.34
20.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$4.24 $4.24
54.95%
Potato (1kg)
$3.62 $3.62
$2.84 $2.84
27.46%
Onion (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$3.79 $3.79
-12.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.64 $2.64
5.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$2.78 $2.78
-9.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.18 $12.18
$8.98 $8.98
35.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.83 $14.83
$18.12 $18.12
-18.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.94 $1.94
117.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.77 $5.77
$3.39 $3.39
70.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.95 $2.95
$1.97 $1.97
49.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$51.0 $51.0
108.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.65 $2.65
$4.85 $4.85
-45.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.92 $1.92
-10.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.72 $29.72
$29.65 $29.65
0.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.98 $0.98
52.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K $35.9K
$28.2K $28.2K
27.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$26.3K $26.3K
-0.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$302 $302
$156 $156
93.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.1 $70.1
$83.1 $83.1
-15.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.3 $85.3
$76.6 $76.6
11.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.8 $77.8
$41.45 $41.45
87.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.58 $34.58
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.84 $17.84
$14.79 $14.79
20.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,973 $2,973
$1,103 $1,103
169.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.3K $31.3K
$24.8K $24.8K
26.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.6 $76.6
$41.55 $41.55
84.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.1 $54.1
$38.55 $38.55
40.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 $128
$99.9 $99.9
28.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164 $164
$121 $121
36.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,445 $2,445
$817 $817
199.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,947 $1,947
$673 $673
189.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,744 $4,744
$1,289 $1,289
268.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,469 $3,469
$1,087 $1,087
219.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,367 $7,367
$2,740 $2,740
168.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,127 $5,127
$2,238 $2,238
129.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Morristown, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,506 $6,506
$2,683 $2,683
142.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.58
4.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Morristown, TN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Morristown, TN
$673 65.4% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$546
Morristown, TN
$425 22.1% $120
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$457
Morristown, TN
$316 30.9% $141
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$400
Morristown, TN
$318 20.5% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$190
Morristown, TN
$135 28.9% $55
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Morristown, TN
$73 43.3% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$114
Morristown, TN
$71 37.4% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $817 in Morristown, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 142% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $99.0 in Morristown, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $546 vs $425, with Morristown, TN cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Morristown, TN
🕒 Local time
02:33 2:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
19,122
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Morristown, TN 3,430 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Morristown, TN

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 Morristown, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Morristown, TN cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Morristown, TN is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Seattle, WA or Morristown, TN?
Average pay runs 142% 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.
What is the rent difference between Seattle, WA and Morristown, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $817 in Morristown, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Morristown, TN runs roughly 108% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,103 in Morristown, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Seattle, WA or in Morristown, TN?
At $2,012 in Morristown, TN versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Morristown, TN but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Morristown, TN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Seattle, WA or Morristown, TN more family-friendly?
For families, Morristown, TN 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Morristown, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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