Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Newton, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newton, MA: $3,453 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Newton, MA
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Newton, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Newton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,453

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Newton, MA

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 Newton, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,453 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Newton, MA $3,453

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,901 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Newton, MA $5,901

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $8,348 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Newton, MA $8,348

Seattle, WA costs about 10% more than Newton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Newton, MA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Newton, MA by 154%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$27.44 $27.44

-7.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$121 $121

-16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.95 $11.95

23.51%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.02 $6.02

7.97%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.98 $2.98

7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.20 $2.20

42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.12 $8.12

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.01 $8.01

1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.72 $4.72

12.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.13 $7.13

-10.24%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.24 $4.24

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$19.23 $19.23

-2.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.89 $10.89

71.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.19 $16.19

41.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.11 $5.11

18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.67 $1.67

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.57 $5.57

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.61 $6.61

-1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.43 $4.43

-21.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.93 $3.93

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.94 $2.94

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.61 $2.61

-1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.94 $12.94

-3.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.54 $15.54

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.88 $1.88

122.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.61 $2.61

122.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.42 $2.42

26.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$91.7 $91.7

15.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 $2.05

25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.59 $1.59

3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$10.93 $10.93

175.57%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

32.91%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.11%

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

$308 $308

$243 $243

26.83%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.1 $54.1

27.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$76.3 $76.3

12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$63.9 $63.9

19.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$16.11 $16.11

11.86%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,654 $2,654

3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$36.2K $36.2K

-15.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$74.0 $74.0

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$50.8 $50.8

7.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$112 $112

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$133 $133

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,848 $1,848

35.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,835 $1,835

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$5,035 $5,035

1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$4,638 $4,638

-23.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,704 $5,704

29.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,898 $4,898

2.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$7,975 $7,975

-18.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.66

3.45%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Newton, MA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Newton, MA

$1.8K 53.1% 5.3% $103

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Newton, MA

$466 13.5% 14.7% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Newton, MA

$373 10.8% 19.4% $90

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Newton, MA

$405 11.7% 0.3% $1.2

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Newton, MA

$167 4.8% 11.7% $22

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Newton, MA

$111 3.2% 13.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Newton, MA

$96 2.8% 14.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,848 in Newton, MA. 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 23% higher in Newton, MA, 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 $121 in Newton, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $547 in Seattle, WA vs $466 in Newton, MA – so Newton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Newton, MA

🕒 Local time

05:09 5:09 AM

08:09 8:09 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

85,146

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Newton, MA 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Newton, MA

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 Newton, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $3,453 in Newton, MA – Newton, MA comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,180 in Newton, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newton, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,848 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Newton, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,654 in Newton, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,453 in Newton, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Newton, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.