Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Omaha, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in Omaha, NE: $2,581 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Omaha, NE, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,762
/mo nomad
Omaha, NE
🇺🇸 United States
$2,581
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Omaha, NE

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 Omaha, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,581 in Omaha, NE, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,762
  • Omaha, NE $2,581

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,791 in Omaha, NE, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,651
  • Omaha, NE $3,791

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,001 in Omaha, NE, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,541
  • Omaha, NE $5,001

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Omaha, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Omaha, NE sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Omaha, NE by 91%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 $23.80
$20.04 $20.04
18.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.6 $98.6
$75.0 $75.0
31.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.94 $14.94
$11.89 $11.89
25.65%
Cappuccino
$6.79 $6.79
$4.95 $4.95
37.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$2.58 $2.58
25.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.84 $1.84
71.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.21 $8.21
$6.17 $6.17
33.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 $7.87
$7.28 $7.28
8.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.95 $0.95
23.16%
White Bread (500g)
$5.29 $5.29
$3.14 $3.14
68.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.76 $5.76
$3.82 $3.82
50.79%
Eggs
$4.89 $4.89
$4.08 $4.08
19.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.25 $20.25
$11.23 $11.23
80.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.95 $17.95
$12.42 $12.42
44.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.35 $23.35
$16.59 $16.59
40.75%
Apples (1kg)
$5.94 $5.94
$5.38 $5.38
10.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 $1.89
$2.04 $2.04
-7.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$4.22 $4.22
26.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$3.71 $3.71
77.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$1.81 $1.81
87.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$3.01 $3.01
-4.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.89 $2.89
$1.92 $1.92
50.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.83 $2.83
-14.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.18 $12.18
$8.85 $8.85
37.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$14.71 $14.71
3.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.38 $4.38
$1.74 $1.74
151.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 $5.89
$5.86 $5.86
0.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.96 $2.96
$1.22 $1.22
142.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 $109
$55.3 $55.3
97.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.91 $2.91
-13.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.39 $1.39
23.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.70 $29.70
$25.49 $25.49
16.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.04 $1.04
45.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$32.8K $32.8K
10.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.3K $26.3K
-2.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 $289
$275 $275
4.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$62.8 $62.8
9.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.8 $84.8
$72.1 $72.1
17.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 $69.4
$45.40 $45.40
52.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.05 $35.05
$35.90 $35.90
-2.37%
Cinema Ticket
$17.97 $17.97
$14.89 $14.89
20.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,819 $2,819
$1,028 $1,028
174.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$43.9K $43.9K
$14.2K $14.2K
209.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.2 $91.2
$53.5 $53.5
70.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 $55.1
$40.52 $40.52
35.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$95.6 $95.6
32.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 $162
$117 $117
38.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 $2,579
$1,439 $1,439
79.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,943 $1,943
$1,174 $1,174
65.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,100 $5,100
$2,772 $2,772
83.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,541 $3,541
$1,968 $1,968
79.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,357 $7,357
$1,989 $1,989
269.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,921 $4,921
$1,778 $1,778
176.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Omaha, NE
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,448 $6,448
$3,930 $3,930
64.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
6.53
4.13%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Omaha, NE: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Omaha, NE
$1.2K 39.6% $769
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$544
Omaha, NE
$396 27.3% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$443
Omaha, NE
$410 7.3% $32
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$399
Omaha, NE
$318 20.2% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$196
Omaha, NE
$138 29.6% $58
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$132
Omaha, NE
$70 47% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$105
Omaha, NE
$75 28.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,439 in Omaha, NE. 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 64% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $75 in Omaha, NE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $396 – making Omaha, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Omaha, NE
🕒 Local time
19:27 7:27 PM
21:27 9:27 PM
2 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
486,051
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Omaha, NE 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Omaha, NE

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 Omaha, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Omaha, NE cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,872 in Omaha, NE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Omaha, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,439 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.
What are total monthly expenses in Seattle, WA and in Omaha, NE?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,581 in Omaha, NE. That makes Omaha, NE about 31% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 49% less in Omaha, NE. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Seattle, WA or in Omaha, NE?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,581 in Omaha, NE. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Seattle, WA or Omaha, NE more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Omaha, NE – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Omaha, NE. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Seattle, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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