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: $3,661 in Seattle, WA versus $2,520 in New Castle, DE.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,544 in Seattle, WA versus $3,774 in New Castle, DE.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,427 in Seattle, WA versus $5,027 in New Castle, DE.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 45% more expensive than New Castle, DE, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 173% above, New Castle, DE 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.76 $19.76

28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$80.4 $80.4

50.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 $14.11

$15.02 $15.02

-6.06%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$5.26 $5.26

10.65%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.54 $2.54

17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.03 $2.03

18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 $7.73

$7.76 $7.76

-0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.93 $7.93

-0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.78 $0.78

71.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.09 $4.09

20.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$9.54 $9.54

-46.12%

Eggs

$6.57 $6.57

$4.30 $4.30

52.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$12.44 $12.44

98.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$11.69 $11.69

35.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 $20.14

$15.36 $15.36

31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$2.80 $2.80

123.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.47 $2.47

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.16 $2.16

144.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$1.81 $1.81

253.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.67 $1.67

92.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.65 $3.65

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.61 $2.61

4.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.93 $2.93

-11.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$10.92 $10.92

6.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$15.26 $15.26

3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.68 $1.68

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$6.29 $6.29

-30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.98 $1.98

39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$6.03 $6.03

-55.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.40 $1.40

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$41.57 $41.57

-28.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.90 $0.90

26.67%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$29.8K $29.8K

10.56%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.41%

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

$268 $268

$179 $179

49.99%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$50.2 $50.2

21.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$55.1 $55.1

38.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 $78.1

$42.71 $42.71

82.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.15 $40.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$9.83 $9.83

60.94%

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

$2,252 $2,252

$1,871 $1,871

20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$39.8K $39.8K

-25.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$29.71 $29.71

138.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$55.8 $55.8

-4.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$50.5 $50.5

131.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$101 $101

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,623 $1,623

42.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 $1,849

$1,347 $1,347

37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,739 $4,739

$2,580 $2,580

83.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,209 $2,209

60.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 $7,775

$2,995 $2,995

159.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 $5,351

$2,406 $2,406

122.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,575 $6,575

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for New Castle, DE: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Seattle, WA and $1,623 in New Castle, DE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $80 in New Castle, DE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $539 vs $402 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 45% 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 $5,491 in Seattle, WA and $3,781 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: $2,310 in Seattle, WA versus $1,623 in New Castle, DE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,252 in Seattle, WA versus $1,871 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 $80.0 versus $121 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 $2,520 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 45% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.