Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Philadelphia, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA: $2,823 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
136

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Philadelphia, PA

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 Philadelphia, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Philadelphia, PA $2,823

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,218 in Philadelphia, PA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Philadelphia, PA $4,218

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,612 in Philadelphia, PA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Philadelphia, PA $5,612

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 34% more expensive than in Philadelphia, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Philadelphia, PA 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$23.40 $23.40

8.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$85.0 $85.0

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.73 $12.73

15.95%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.32 $5.32

22.18%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.00 $3.00

7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.23 $2.23

40.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.83 $5.83

36.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.14 $8.14

-0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.45 $1.45

-19.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.34 $4.34

22.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.04 $7.04

-9.09%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.93 $4.93

2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.93 $11.93

56.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.45 $12.45

50.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.21 $17.21

32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.59 $5.59

8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.60 $1.60

21.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.56 $5.56

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.57 $5.57

17.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.88 $2.88

21.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.18 $3.18

3.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.57 $2.57

8.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.53 $2.53

1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.03 $12.03

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.25 $15.25

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.33 $2.33

79.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.37 $4.37

32.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.98 $2.98

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$117 $117

-9.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.83 $2.83

-8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.58 $1.58

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$23.53 $23.53

28.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.10 $1.10

28.18%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$31.8K $31.8K

15.71%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.91%

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

$308 $308

$224 $224

37.55%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$64.9 $64.9

6.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$67.5 $67.5

27.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$71.1 $71.1

7.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$88.9 $88.9

-60.05%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.13 $15.13

19.10%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,117 $2,117

29.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$41.8K $41.8K

-26.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$50.2 $50.2

57.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.91 $43.91

23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 $103

23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$142 $142

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,069 $2,069

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,269 $1,269

52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,571 $4,571

11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,103 $2,103

68.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,141 $4,141

78.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,890 $1,890

164.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,139 $4,139

56.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.66

3.45%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 44.9% 34.6% $670

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Philadelphia, PA

$450 15.9% 17.8% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6% 23.1% $107

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Philadelphia, PA

$356 12.6% 12.5% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Philadelphia, PA

$152 5.4% 19.3% $36

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Philadelphia, PA

$139 4.9% 8.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Philadelphia, PA

$101 3.6% 9.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 56% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $85 in Philadelphia, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $450 per month, with Philadelphia, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🕒 Local time

03:08 3:08 AM

06:08 6:08 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

1,573,916

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Philadelphia, PA 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Philadelphia, PA

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 Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% 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 $2,069 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Philadelphia, PA – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,823 in Philadelphia, PA – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Philadelphia, PA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Philadelphia, PA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Philadelphia, PA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.