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: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $2,595 in New Castle, DE.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $3,712 in New Castle, DE.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $4,828 in New Castle, DE.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 48% more expensive than in New Castle, DE, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, New Castle, DE 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$18.79 $18.79

31.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$89.5 $89.5

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.95 $10.95

37.81%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.29 $5.29

25.14%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.97 $2.97

5.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.03 $2.03

46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.70 $6.70

21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.21 $8.21

-4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.13 $1.13

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.62 $3.62

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.02 $4.02

59.20%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$4.98 $4.98

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$12.67 $12.67

69.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$12.64 $12.64

46.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$18.78 $18.78

22.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$5.94 $5.94

-2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.47 $1.47

27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.87 $5.87

-8.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.74 $4.74

32.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.86 $2.86

32.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.89 $2.89

12.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.49 $2.49

15.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.39 $2.39

13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.23 $14.23

-0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.42 $15.42

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.52 $2.52

73.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.93 $3.93

46.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.92 $1.92

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.79 $1.79

43.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.41 $1.41

17.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$23.81 $23.81

25.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.04 $1.04

32.69%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.1K $37.1K

-1.87%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

-1.81%

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

$296 $296

$211 $211

40.53%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$67.1 $67.1

6.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$71.0 $71.0

23.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$42.00 $42.00

93.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$14.90 $14.90

23.02%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,939 $1,939

58.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$35.2K $35.2K

-13.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$53.3 $53.3

44.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$62.3 $62.3

-13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$94.0 $94.0

35.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$110 $110

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$1,377 $1,377

75.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,291 $1,291

49.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,069 $2,069

129.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$1,897 $1,897

88.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,396 $2,396

208.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,343 $2,343

115.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.26

2.56%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for New Castle, DE: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $1,377 in New Castle, DE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $90.0 in New Castle, DE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $431 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 48% 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 $5,754 in Seattle, WA and $3,893 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $1,377 in New Castle, DE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $1,939 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 $90.0 versus $99.0 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 $2,595 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 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.