Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Newport News, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newport News, VA: $2,512 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Newport News, VA
Learn more

Newport News, VA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Newport News, VA

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 Newport News, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,512 in Newport News, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Newport News, VA $2,512

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,653 in Newport News, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Newport News, VA $3,653

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,794 in Newport News, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Newport News, VA $4,794

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 51% more expensive than in Newport News, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Newport News, VA 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.05 $25.05

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$61.6 $61.6

63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.57 $10.57

39.64%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.00 $6.00

8.33%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.62 $2.62

22.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.06 $2.06

52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.88 $7.88

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.18 $8.18

-0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.95 $0.95

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.56 $3.56

48.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.47 $3.47

84.44%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.88 $2.88

75.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$7.25 $7.25

158.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.22 $11.22

66.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.82 $18.82

21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.12 $7.12

-14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.02 $1.02

91.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.00 $5.00

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.19 $4.19

55.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.69 $2.69

29.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.30 $3.30

-0.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.03 $2.03

37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.66 $2.66

-3.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.73 $8.73

43.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.84 $15.84

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.71 $1.71

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.71 $5.71

1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.03 $2.03

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$56.0 $56.0

89.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.09 $4.09

-36.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.32 $1.32

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.66 $24.66

22.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 $0.99

42.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

32.49%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.24%

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

$308 $308

$208 $208

48.19%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$81.1 $81.1

-14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$78.2 $78.2

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$50.3 $50.3

52.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.67 $13.67

31.82%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,930 $2,930

-6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$41.1K $41.1K

-25.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$55.4 $55.4

42.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.54 $44.54

21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 $103

22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$125 $125

26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,398 $1,398

79.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,072 $1,072

80.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,883 $1,883

171.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,727 $1,727

105.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,438 $2,438

202.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,049 $2,049

144.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,926 $3,926

64.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.54

5.35%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Newport News, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Newport News, VA

$1.1K 42.7% 44.7% $866

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Newport News, VA

$394 15.7% 28% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Newport News, VA

$367 14.6% 20.7% $96

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Newport News, VA

$379 15.1% 6.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Newport News, VA

$148 5.9% 21.6% $41

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Newport News, VA

$75 3% 41.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Newport News, VA

$78 3.1% 31% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,398 in Newport News, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 65% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $62 in Newport News, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $394 per month, with Newport News, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Newport News, VA

🕒 Local time

20:09 8:09 PM

23:09 11:09 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

186,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Newport News, VA 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Newport News, VA

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 Newport News, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,512 in Newport News, VA, so Newport News, VA is about 34% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,398 in Newport News, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,512 in Newport News, VA – Newport News, VA is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Newport News, VA runs roughly 47% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $2,512 in Newport News, VA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Newport News, VA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Newport News, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Newport News, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.