Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Owensboro, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Owensboro, KY: $1,977 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Owensboro, KY
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Owensboro, KY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,977

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Owensboro, KY

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 Owensboro, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $1,977 in Owensboro, KY.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Owensboro, KY $1,977

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $2,919 in Owensboro, KY.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Owensboro, KY $2,919

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $3,861 in Owensboro, KY.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Owensboro, KY $3,861

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 91% more expensive than in Owensboro, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Owensboro, KY 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.39 $19.39

30.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.8 $59.8

68.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.82 $9.82

50.31%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.53 $5.53

17.54%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$1.88 $1.88

70.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.35 $1.35

132.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.99 $3.99

99.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.96 $4.96

63.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.79 $0.79

48.10%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.24 $3.24

63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.28 $4.28

49.53%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.02 $3.02

67.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$6.67 $6.67

180.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.01 $11.01

70.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$12.10 $12.10

89.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.34 $4.34

39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.24 $1.24

57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.69 $2.69

104.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.56 $3.56

83.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.27 $2.27

53.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.17 $2.17

51.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.06 $2.06

35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.51 $1.51

70.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.73 $8.73

43.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$7.85 $7.85

89.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.86 $1.86

125.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.94 $4.94

17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.02 $1.02

199.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$30.58 $30.58

246.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.54 $5.54

-53.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.04 $1.04

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$18.13 $18.13

66.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.86 $0.86

63.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

31.95%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

-2.22%

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

$308 $308

$172 $172

78.95%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$60.9 $60.9

13.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$59.7 $59.7

44.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$49.91 $49.91

53.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$10.17 $10.17

249.07%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.19 $13.19

36.62%

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

$2,746 $2,746

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$74.5 $74.5

6.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.29 $43.29

25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$68.0 $68.0

86.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$89.3 $89.3

78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$844 $844

197.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$834 $834

132.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,441 $1,441

255.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,364 $1,364

159.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,744 $1,744

322.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,738 $1,738

187.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,362 $3,362

92.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.55

5.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Owensboro, KY

$834 42.2% 57% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Owensboro, KY

$311 15.7% 43.2% $236

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Owensboro, KY

$293 14.8% 36.8% $170

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Owensboro, KY

$294 14.9% 27.7% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Owensboro, KY

$124 6.3% 34.4% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Owensboro, KY

$45 2.3% 64.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Owensboro, KY

$76 3.9% 32.2% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $844 in Owensboro, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 92% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $60 in Owensboro, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $311 per month, with Owensboro, KY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

21:16 9:16 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

55,525

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Owensboro, KY 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Owensboro, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owensboro, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Owensboro, KY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 92% 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 $844 in Owensboro, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Owensboro, KY – a meal for two runs $60 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Owensboro, KY runs roughly 71% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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 Owensboro, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.