Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
239

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in New York, 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 York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
New York, NY $9,509

Seattle, WA is about 23% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Seattle, WA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$28.55 $28.55

-11.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.04 $15.04

-1.86%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.53 $6.53

-0.46%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.96 $3.96

-18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.01 $3.01

4.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.16 $8.16

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.84 $9.84

-17.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.37 $1.37

-14.60%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.97 $4.97

6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.81 $7.81

-18.05%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.97 $5.97

-15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$18.91 $18.91

-1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$18.04 $18.04

3.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.05 $19.05

20.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.76 $6.76

-10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.27 $2.27

-14.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.83 $6.83

-19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$7.09 $7.09

-8.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.22 $4.22

-17.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.65 $4.65

-29.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.87 $2.87

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.60 $2.60

-0.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$18.77 $18.77

-33.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$20.13 $20.13

-26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.45 $3.45

21.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.02 $4.02

44.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.91 $2.91

4.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$139 $139

-23.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.08 $3.08

-16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.12 $2.12

-22.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$41.96 $41.96

-28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.17 $1.17

20.51%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$34.5K $34.5K

6.73%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.85%

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

$308 $308

$219 $219

40.20%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$74.2 $74.2

-6.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.2 $70.2

22.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$112 $112

-31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$74.9 $74.9

-52.58%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$22.14 $22.14

-18.61%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$3,558 $3,558

-22.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$62.2K $62.2K

-50.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$75.6 $75.6

4.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$51.2 $51.2

6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$123 $123

2.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$140 $140

13.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$4,499 $4,499

-44.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$3,078 $3,078

-37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$9,447 $9,447

-45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$5,190 $5,190

-31.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$18.1K $18.1K

-59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$6,693 $6,693

-25.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,220 $5,220

23.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.86

0.44%

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 York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 58.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 2.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 21.4% $99

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 8.4% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 7% $13

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 27.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 38.9% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $4,499 in New York, 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 24% higher in Seattle, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $563 – making Seattle, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

10:31 10:31 AM

13:31 1:31 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA New York, NY 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
New York, 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 York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 31% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $7,412 in New York, 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 $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seattle, WA costs $3,785 versus $4,941 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

For expats, Seattle, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 31% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.