Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Oaxaca de Juarez

For one person, living is cheaper in Oaxaca de Juarez: $1,154 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $31,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,800
/mo nomad
Oaxaca de Juarez
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,154
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Oaxaca de Juarez

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 Oaxaca de Juarez actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $1,154 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

  • Seattle, WA $3,800
  • Oaxaca de Juarez $1,154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $1,781 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

  • Seattle, WA $5,702
  • Oaxaca de Juarez $1,781

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $2,408 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

  • Seattle, WA $7,603
  • Oaxaca de Juarez $2,408

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 229% more expensive than in Oaxaca de Juarez, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seattle, WA is 182% above, Oaxaca de Juarez is 15% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.32 $25.32
$6.48 MX$120
290.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$32.81 MX$606
209.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.85 $14.85
$8.33 MX$154
78.27%
Cappuccino
$6.59 $6.59
$2.82 MX$52.1
133.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.51 MX$27.83
113.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$0.79 MX$14.59
297.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.18 $8.18
$2.48 MX$45.90
229.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.03 $8.03
$3.79 MX$70.0
111.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.33 MX$24.59
-9.02%
White Bread (500g)
$5.12 $5.12
$3.13 MX$57.8
63.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.30 $6.30
$1.12 MX$20.62
462.50%
Eggs
$4.90 $4.90
$1.74 MX$32.21
181.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.10 $19.10
$6.44 MX$119
196.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.50 $18.50
$5.49 MX$101
236.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.03 $23.03
$11.27 MX$208
104.35%
Apples (1kg)
$5.81 $5.81
$2.14 MX$39.46
171.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.23 MX$22.80
58.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.29 $5.29
$1.90 MX$35.14
178.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.48 $6.48
$0.53 MX$9.81
1122.64%
Potato (1kg)
$3.57 $3.57
$2.01 MX$37.18
77.61%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 $3.15
$2.00 MX$36.93
57.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.11 MX$20.58
156.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$0.94 MX$17.46
157.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.75 $12.75
$4.24 MX$78.3
200.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.99 $14.99
$9.40 MX$174
59.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.17 $4.17
$1.47 MX$27.11
183.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 $5.99
$2.63 MX$48.64
127.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.04 $3.04
$0.53 MX$9.81
473.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$110 $110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 $2.55
$3.89 MX$71.9
-34.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.95 MX$36.12
-15.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.58 $29.58
$10.89 MX$201
171.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.36 MX$25.17
4.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K $35.7K
$21.4K MX$396.0K
66.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$24.4K MX$450.4K
4.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$299 $299
$62.5 MX$1,155
378.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.8 $70.8
$11.03 MX$204
542.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.3 $88.3
$24.19 MX$447
265.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$79.5 $79.5
$44.34 MX$819
79.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.37 $35.37
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.12 $17.12
$5.58 MX$103
206.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,013 $3,013
$422 MX$7,795
614.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.6K $31.6K
$20.0K MX$369.3K
58.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.2 $77.2
$53.5 MX$988
44.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 $55.1
$61.6 MX$1,138
-10.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 $126
$102 MX$1,887
23.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 $163
$98.3 MX$1,816
65.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,464 $2,464
$696 MX$12.9K
253.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,956 $1,956
$481 MX$8,885
306.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,711 $4,711
$1,208 MX$22.3K
289.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,550 $3,550
$892 MX$16.5K
297.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,346 $7,346
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,048 $5,048
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,286 $6,286
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
10.96
-37.50%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$2K
Oaxaca de Juarez
$481 75.4% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$542
Oaxaca de Juarez
$222 59% $319
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$458
Oaxaca de Juarez
$98 78.7% $360
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$409
Oaxaca de Juarez
$140 65.8% $269
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Oaxaca de Juarez
$142 25% $47
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$133
Oaxaca de Juarez
$16 * 88.1% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$114
Oaxaca de Juarez
$56 51.2% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $696 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $33.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $222 per month, with Oaxaca de Juarez cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇲🇽 Oaxaca de Juarez
🕒 Local time
04:33 4:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
1 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
258,913
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Oaxaca de Juarez 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Oaxaca de Juarez

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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Seattle, WA or Oaxaca de Juarez?
Oaxaca de Juarez wins on cost – living expenses run 229% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oaxaca de Juarez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Seattle, WA and in Oaxaca de Juarez?
You'd need roughly $5,701 in Seattle, WA and $1,731 in Oaxaca de Juarez 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Seattle, WA compared to Oaxaca de Juarez?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $696 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Seattle, WA or in Oaxaca de Juarez?
Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Seattle, WA compared to Oaxaca de Juarez?
All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $1,154 in Oaxaca de Juarez – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Seattle, WA or in Oaxaca de Juarez?
At $1,154 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oaxaca de Juarez but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Oaxaca de Juarez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Seattle, WA or Oaxaca de Juarez?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oaxaca de Juarez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,154 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oaxaca de Juarez hard to pass up.
How safe is Seattle, WA compared to Oaxaca de Juarez?
Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Oaxaca de Juarez are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oaxaca de Juarez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Seattle, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?