Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and New City, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,571 in New City, NY, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in New City, NY outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
220

Cost of Living Index in New City, NY
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New City, NY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

New City, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in New City, NY

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 City, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,571 in New City, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
New City, NY $4,571

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,346 in New City, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
New City, NY $6,346

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $8,121 in New City, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
New City, NY $8,121

Seattle, WA is about 17% cheaper than New City, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and New City, NY sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, New City, NY by 236%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$13.79 $13.79

83.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$85.8 $85.8

17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.06 $11.06

33.45%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.54 $5.54

17.33%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.13 $2.13

50.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.54 $1.54

103.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.19 $8.19

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.09 $8.09

0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.22 $1.22

-4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.31 $4.31

22.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.63 $6.63

-3.47%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.89 $5.89

-14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.41 $12.41

50.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.85 $11.85

57.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.51 $17.51

30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.38 $5.38

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.31 $1.31

48.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.50 $6.50

-15.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.01 $6.01

8.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.63 $5.63

-38.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.75 $3.75

-12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.32 $2.32

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.14 $1.14

126.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.87 $11.87

5.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.05 $10.05

47.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.75 $1.75

139.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.56 $5.56

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.96 $2.96

3.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$124 $124

-14.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.05 $3.05

-15.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.02 $2.02

-18.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$23.74 $23.74

26.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.06 $1.06

33.02%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

31.87%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.80%

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

$308 $308

$197 $197

55.82%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$75.5 $75.5

-8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.4 $64.4

33.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.30 $14.30

26.01%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,027 $2,027

35.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.3K $23.3K

31.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.78 $40.78

94.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$56.5 $56.5

-3.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$68.9 $68.9

84.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$148 $148

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,098 $3,098

-19.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$3,201 $3,201

-39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$5,649 $5,649

-9.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$5,040 $5,040

-29.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$8,097 $8,097

-20.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.62

4.08%

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 City, NY: 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 City, NY

$3.2K 70% 65.1% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

New City, NY

$433 9.5% 20.9% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

New City, NY

$337 7.4% 27.1% $126

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

New City, NY

$282 6.2% 30.6% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

New City, NY

$141 3.1% 25% $47

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

New City, NY

$149 3.3% 15.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

New City, NY

$29 * 0.6% 74.6% $84

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 $3,098 in New City, NY. 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 25% higher in New City, NY. 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 City, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $433 – making New City, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 New City, NY

🕒 Local time

08:04 8:04 AM

11:04 11:04 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

34,135

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA New City, NY 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
New City, NY

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 City, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $4,571 in New City, NY – Seattle, WA comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,857 in New City, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,098 in New City, NY.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,027 in New City, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in New City, NY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $4,571 in New City, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,785 in Seattle, WA to $4,571 in New City, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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