Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Pierre, SD

For one person, living is cheaper in Pierre, SD: $2,520 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Pierre, SD
Learn more

Pierre, SD Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Pierre, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Pierre, SD

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 Pierre, SD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,520 in Pierre, SD.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Pierre, SD $2,520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,959 in Pierre, SD.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Pierre, SD $3,959

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,399 in Pierre, SD.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Pierre, SD $5,399

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 49% more expensive than in Pierre, SD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Pierre, SD 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$20.37 $20.37

16.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$86.1 $86.1

14.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.74 $11.74

27.26%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.49 $5.49

23.68%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.72 $2.72

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.96 $1.96

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.31 $6.31

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.83 $7.83

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.13 $1.13

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.08 $4.08

29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.81 $4.81

19.75%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.58 $3.58

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.33 $12.33

64.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$13.21 $13.21

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.52 $17.52

33.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.52 $4.52

31.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.67 $1.67

13.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.70 $4.70

13.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.24 $4.24

54.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.23 $3.23

4.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.96 $2.96

-2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.15 $2.15

34.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.26 $11.26

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$12.82 $12.82

18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.83 $1.83

139.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.56 $3.56

65.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.25 $2.25

31.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$54.5 $54.5

100.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.44 $3.44

-26.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.75 $1.75

-1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$33.75 $33.75

-12.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.11 $1.11

36.04%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

19.37%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$29.2K $29.2K

-12.10%

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

$289 $289

$219 $219

31.87%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$53.5 $53.5

28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$65.2 $65.2

30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$43.39 $43.39

60.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$15.06 $15.06

19.32%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,426 $1,426

97.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$20.3K $20.3K

116.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$45.41 $45.41

100.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$36.90 $36.90

49.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$77.7 $77.7

63.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$108 $108

49.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,508 $1,508

71.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,178 $1,178

64.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,782 $2,782

83.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,410 $2,410

46.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,442 $2,442

201.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,090 $2,090

135.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.59

3.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Pierre, SD: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Pierre, SD

$1.2K 46.8% 39.3% $764

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Pierre, SD

$404 16% 25.7% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Pierre, SD

$338 13.4% 23.7% $105

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Pierre, SD

$330 13.1% 17.3% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Pierre, SD

$121 4.8% 38.4% $75

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Pierre, SD

$76 3% 42.8% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Pierre, SD

$74 2.9% 30.2% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,508 in Pierre, SD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $86 in Pierre, SD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $404 per month, with Pierre, SD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Pierre, SD

🕒 Local time

21:59 9:59 PM

23:59 11:59 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

14,095

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Pierre, SD 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Pierre, SD

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 Pierre, SD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pierre, SD is about 33% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,642 in Seattle, WA and $3,780 in Pierre, SD to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,508 in Pierre, SD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pierre, SD runs roughly 50% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,819 in Seattle, WA versus $1,426 in Pierre, SD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

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 Pierre, SD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.