Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and North East, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and North East, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,687 in North East, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,035 in North East, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,384 in North East, MD.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 34% more expensive than North East, MD, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, North East, MD 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$24.72 $24.72

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$91.6 $91.6

28.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$11.13 $11.13

23.72%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.61 $5.61

1.78%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.97 $2.97

2.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.62 $2.62

-4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.17 $8.17

-4.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.76 $8.76

-10.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.26 $1.26

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.68 $3.68

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.80 $6.80

-20.74%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.15 $4.15

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$19.51 $19.51

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$14.88 $14.88

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$25.42 $25.42

-19.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.95 $6.95

-11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.86 $1.86

51.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.33 $5.33

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.70 $5.70

18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.14 $4.14

-23.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.39 $3.39

12.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.22 $2.22

21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.89 $2.89

-8.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.95 $11.95

-2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$17.08 $17.08

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.95 $1.95

50.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.32 $3.32

27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.01 $2.01

40.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.80 $2.80

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.38 $1.38

24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$25.16 $25.16

20.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.86 $0.86

38.37%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$30.8K $30.8K

6.12%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

5.95%

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

$263 $263

$126 $126

107.86%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$43.53 $43.53

39.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$71.2 $71.2

6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$43.22 $43.22

84.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.80 $14.80

9.93%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,902 $1,902

19.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.5K $35.5K

-17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$56.7 $56.7

20.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$53.4 $53.4

-2.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$93.9 $93.9

23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$117 $117

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,616 $1,616

44.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,342 $1,342

38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,673 $2,673

73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,198 $2,198

58.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,341 $2,341

231.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,583 $2,583

102.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.55

-1.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for North East, MD: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,616 in North East, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $92.0 in North East, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $511 per month, with North East, MD cheaper across the board.

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 North East, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North East, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making North East, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,397 in Seattle, WA and $4,030 in North East, MD to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,616 in North East, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,598 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,687 in North East, MD – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. North East, MD is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but North East, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes North East, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find North East, MD 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.