Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Phoenix, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix, AZ: $2,825 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix, AZ
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Phoenix, AZ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,825

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Phoenix, AZ

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 Phoenix, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,825 in Phoenix, AZ.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Phoenix, AZ $2,825

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $4,079 in Phoenix, AZ.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Phoenix, AZ $4,079

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,333 in Phoenix, AZ.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Phoenix, AZ $5,333

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 33% more expensive than in Phoenix, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Phoenix, AZ 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$20.39 $20.39

16.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$84.0 $84.0

17.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$14.61 $14.61

2.26%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$6.17 $6.17

10.05%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.16 $3.16

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.39 $2.39

31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.92 $5.92

38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.86 $7.86

0.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.78 $0.78

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.95 $3.95

33.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$6.42 $6.42

-10.28%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.89 $3.89

25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$13.95 $13.95

45.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$12.84 $12.84

39.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$14.57 $14.57

60.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.43 $5.43

9.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.82 $1.82

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.37 $4.37

22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.41 $6.41

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.32 $3.32

2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.14 $3.14

-8.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.35 $2.35

22.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.62 $2.62

-7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.30 $11.30

7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.39 $14.39

5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.28 $2.28

92.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.06 $3.06

92.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.97 $1.97

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$63.4 $63.4

72.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$5.09 $5.09

-50.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.64 $1.64

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$36.64 $36.64

-18.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.21 $1.21

24.79%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$36.4K $36.4K

-0.53%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.38%

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

$289 $289

$232 $232

24.27%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$75.9 $75.9

-9.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$76.9 $76.9

10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$55.7 $55.7

24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$19.05 $19.05

83.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.68 $13.68

31.36%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,610 $1,610

75.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

55.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$59.9 $59.9

52.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$46.37 $46.37

18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$102 $102

24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$129 $129

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,737 $1,737

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,342 $1,342

44.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$3,059 $3,059

66.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,081 $2,081

70.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,658 $4,658

57.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,939 $2,939

67.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,264 $4,264

51.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Phoenix, AZ

$1.3K 47.5% 30.9% $600

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Phoenix, AZ

$429 15.2% 21% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Phoenix, AZ

$385 13.6% 13% $57

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Phoenix, AZ

$348 12.3% 12.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Phoenix, AZ

$152 5.4% 22.4% $44

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Phoenix, AZ

$85 3% 36% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Phoenix, AZ

$83 2.9% 21.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,737 in Phoenix, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 51% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $84 in Phoenix, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $429 per month, with Phoenix, AZ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Phoenix, AZ

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

1,608,139

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Phoenix, AZ 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Phoenix, AZ

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 Phoenix, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phoenix, AZ is about 25% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,737 in Phoenix, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,825 in Phoenix, AZ – Phoenix, AZ is about 25% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Phoenix, AZ runs roughly 42% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

For families, Phoenix, AZ 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.

Expats usually find Phoenix, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.