Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and New Bern, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in New Bern, NC: $2,061 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in New Bern, NC
Learn more

New Bern, NC Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

New Bern, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,061

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in New Bern, NC

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 New Bern, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,061 in New Bern, NC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
New Bern, NC $2,061

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,317 in New Bern, NC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
New Bern, NC $3,317

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,573 in New Bern, NC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
New Bern, NC $4,573

Seattle, WA costs about 84% more than New Bern, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and New Bern, NC sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, New Bern, NC by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.15 $18.15

39.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$86.1 $86.1

17.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.90 $11.90

24.03%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.19 $5.19

25.24%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.93 $2.93

9.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.40 $2.40

30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.03 $6.03

32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.20 $7.20

12.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.95 $0.95

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.31 $3.31

60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.09 $5.09

25.74%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.41 $3.41

48.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.01 $13.01

43.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.69 $10.69

75.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.17 $15.17

50.82%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.25 $5.25

15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.30 $1.30

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.91 $2.91

89.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.53 $5.53

17.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.82 $2.82

23.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.85 $2.85

15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.82 $1.82

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.21 $2.21

16.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$7.37 $7.37

69.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.47 $12.47

19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.87 $1.87

124.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.13 $2.13

172.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.40 $3.40

-24.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.30 $2.30

-28.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$32.86 $32.86

-8.34%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

30.11%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.4K $23.4K

13.83%

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

$308 $308

$156 $156

97.35%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$71.7 $71.7

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$67.7 $67.7

27.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$55.6 $55.6

37.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.18 $11.18

61.18%

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

$2,746 $2,746

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$60.5 $60.5

30.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.32 $35.32

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$83.9 $83.9

51.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$87.7 $87.7

81.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,153 $1,153

117.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$869 $869

123.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,198 $2,198

132.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,847 $1,847

91.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,056 $2,056

258.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,078 $2,078

140.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,658 $3,658

76.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.51

5.84%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for New Bern, NC: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

New Bern, NC

$869 42.2% 55.2% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

New Bern, NC

$374 18.2% 31.5% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

New Bern, NC

$295 14.3% 36.2% $168

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

New Bern, NC

$309 15% 23.9% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

New Bern, NC

$120 5.8% 36.2% $68

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

New Bern, NC

$15 * 0.7% 88.4% $114

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

New Bern, NC

$78 3.8% 30.7% $35

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,153 in New Bern, NC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 77% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $86 in New Bern, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $374 – making New Bern, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 New Bern, NC

🕒 Local time

15:15 3:15 PM

18:15 6:15 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

31,291

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA New Bern, NC 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
New Bern, NC

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 New Bern, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 84%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,091 in New Bern, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in New Bern, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,153 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $86 in New Bern, NC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in New Bern, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,061, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In New Bern, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,061 in New Bern, NC to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with New Bern, NC. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.