Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Norfolk, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,562 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 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
122

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
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Norfolk, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,562

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,562 in Norfolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Norfolk, VA $2,562

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,683 in Norfolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Norfolk, VA $3,683

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,805 in Norfolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Norfolk, VA $4,805

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 48% more expensive than in Norfolk, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Norfolk, VA 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.23 $18.23

38.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$88.8 $88.8

13.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.43 $11.43

29.13%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.59 $5.59

16.28%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.75 $2.75

16.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.09 $2.09

50.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.06 $6.06

31.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.97 $6.97

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.03 $1.03

13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.81 $3.81

39.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.46 $5.46

17.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.68 $4.68

8.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.56 $15.56

20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.10 $10.10

85.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.63 $18.63

22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.72 $4.72

28.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.28 $1.28

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.09 $5.09

8.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.86 $5.86

11.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.23 $2.23

56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.52 $3.52

-6.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.79 $1.79

56.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.14 $2.14

20.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.38 $9.38

33.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.24 $15.24

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.83 $1.83

128.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.68 $2.68

116.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$70.0 $70.0

51.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.57 $4.57

-43.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.31 $1.31

25.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$18.06 $18.06

66.78%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

36.60%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.54%

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

$308 $308

$210 $210

46.39%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$57.4 $57.4

20.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$67.0 $67.0

28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$40.43 $40.43

89.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$17.83 $17.83

99.10%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.11 $12.11

48.80%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,279 $1,279

114.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.3K $16.3K

87.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$58.5 $58.5

35.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$46.67 $46.67

16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$102 $102

24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$118 $118

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,563 $1,563

60.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,203 $1,203

61.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,628 $2,628

94.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,737 $1,737

103.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,613 $2,613

182.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,059 $2,059

142.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,581 $3,581

80.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, 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%

Norfolk, VA

$1.2K 46.9% 38% $736

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Norfolk, VA

$415 16.2% 24.2% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Norfolk, VA

$335 13.1% 27.7% $128

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Norfolk, VA

$311 12.1% 23.5% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Norfolk, VA

$146 5.7% 22.5% $43

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Norfolk, VA

$89 3.5% 31% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Norfolk, VA

$65 2.5% 42.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,563 in Norfolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 81% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $89 in Norfolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $415 per month, with Norfolk, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🕒 Local time

21:43 9:43 PM

00:43 12:43 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

242,803

💱 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 Norfolk, VA 3,910 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Norfolk, 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 Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,562 in Norfolk, VA, so Norfolk, VA is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 81% 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 $1,563 in Norfolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,279 in Norfolk, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,562 in Norfolk, VA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Norfolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Norfolk, 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 Norfolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.