Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ottawa, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Ottawa, IL: $2,495 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa, IL
Learn more

Ottawa, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,495

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Ottawa, IL

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 Ottawa, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Ottawa, IL $2,495

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,579 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Ottawa, IL $3,579

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,663 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Ottawa, IL $4,663

Seattle, WA costs about 52% more than Ottawa, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Ottawa, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Ottawa, IL by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.87 $14.87

70.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.8 $59.8

68.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.81 $9.81

50.46%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.79 $4.79

35.70%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.17 $2.17

47.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.79 $1.79

75.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.47 $5.47

45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.36 $5.36

51.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.78 $0.78

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.11 $3.11

70.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.00 $3.00

113.33%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.85 $3.85

31.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.28 $12.28

52.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$5.99 $5.99

212.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$12.40 $12.40

84.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.53 $3.53

71.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.44 $1.44

35.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.22 $3.22

71.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.36 $4.36

49.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.02 $2.02

72.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.26 $2.26

45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.20 $2.20

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.22 $1.22

111.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.39 $12.39

0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.80 $14.80

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.16 $2.16

93.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.92 $3.92

47.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.92 $1.92

58.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$63.2 $63.2

67.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.48 $2.48

4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.58 $1.58

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$28.24 $28.24

6.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.12 $1.12

25.89%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

35.81%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-2.01%

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

$308 $308

$241 $241

27.86%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$45.26 $45.26

52.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.2 $68.2

26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$36.92 $36.92

107.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$26.55 $26.55

33.71%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.43 $11.43

57.66%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,012 $1,012

171.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$19.8K $19.8K

54.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$49.00 $49.00

61.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.39 $44.39

22.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$118 $118

7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,494 $1,494

67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,276 $1,276

51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,510 $2,510

103.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,088 $2,088

69.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,189 $3,189

131.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,643 $2,643

89.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$2,383 $2,383

171.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.82

1.03%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Ottawa, IL

$1.3K 51.2% 34.2% $662

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Ottawa, IL

$314 12.6% 42.7% $233

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Ottawa, IL

$354 14.2% 23.5% $109

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Ottawa, IL

$260 10.4% 36.1% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Ottawa, IL

$150 6% 20.6% $39

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ottawa, IL

$81 3.3% 37% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Ottawa, IL

$60 2.4% 46.9% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,494 in Ottawa, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Seattle, WA are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $60 in Ottawa, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $314 – making Ottawa, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL

🕒 Local time

18:03 6:03 PM

20:03 8:03 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

18,342

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Ottawa, IL 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Ottawa, IL

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 Ottawa, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,742 in Ottawa, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ottawa, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,494 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,012 in Ottawa, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ottawa, IL. 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.