Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and New Castle, DE Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and New Castle, DE

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,604 in Seattle, WA versus $2,570 in New Castle, DE.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $3,766 in New Castle, DE.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Seattle, WA versus $4,963 in New Castle, DE.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 40% more expensive than in New Castle, DE, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, New Castle, DE 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.78 $24.78

$19.98 $19.98

24.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$81.4 $81.4

49.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 $14.02

$14.79 $14.79

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.05 $5.05

10.10%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.55 $2.55

19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.03 $2.03

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.95 $7.95

-0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.79 $7.79

3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.76 $0.76

81.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.07 $4.07

21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$9.67 $9.67

-44.67%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$4.16 $4.16

58.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.87 $24.87

$12.28 $12.28

102.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$11.39 $11.39

39.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$15.18 $15.18

33.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.81 $2.81

119.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.52 $2.52

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.17 $2.17

147.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$1.81 $1.81

260.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.68 $1.68

91.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.69 $3.69

1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.50 $2.50

13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.91 $2.91

-9.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$10.83 $10.83

7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$15.26 $15.26

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.69 $1.69

67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$6.24 $6.24

-31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.05 $2.05

34.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.95 $5.95

-56.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.40 $1.40

17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$42.81 $42.81

-30.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.88 $0.88

29.55%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$29.5K $29.5K

12.49%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K $26.5K

-2.21%

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

$270 $270

$177 $177

52.14%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$49.71 $49.71

20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$54.6 $54.6

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$43.29 $43.29

79.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.03 $41.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$10.08 $10.08

56.55%

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

$2,279 $2,279

$1,850 $1,850

23.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$39.8K $39.8K

-24.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$30.36 $30.36

130.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$54.2 $54.2

-3.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$50.4 $50.4

133.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$101 $101

42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,589 $1,589

46.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 $1,899

$1,364 $1,364

39.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,643 $2,643

79.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,472 $3,472

$2,198 $2,198

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 $7,709

$2,623 $2,623

193.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,983 $4,983

$2,247 $2,247

121.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,641 $6,641

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.55

-1.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 19, 2026

Last update for New Castle, DE: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Seattle, WA and $1,589 in New Castle, DE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $122 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in New Castle, DE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $399 per month, with New Castle, DE cheaper across the board.

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 Castle, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Castle, DE wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Castle, DE the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,407 in Seattle, WA and $3,855 in New Castle, DE to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,332 in Seattle, WA versus $1,589 in New Castle, DE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,279 in Seattle, WA versus $1,850 in New Castle, DE. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in New Castle, DE – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $122 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. New Castle, DE is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but New Castle, DE delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,570 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes New Castle, DE hard to pass up.

Expats usually find New Castle, DE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.