Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Pocatello, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Pocatello, ID: $1,929 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Pocatello, ID
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Pocatello, ID Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Pocatello, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$1,929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Pocatello, ID

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 Pocatello, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $1,929 in Pocatello, ID.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Pocatello, ID $1,929

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $2,671 in Pocatello, ID.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Pocatello, ID $2,671

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $3,413 in Pocatello, ID.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Pocatello, ID $3,413

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 97% more expensive than in Pocatello, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Pocatello, ID 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$14.78 $14.78

71.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$50.4 $50.4

101.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$9.91 $9.91

49.85%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.12 $5.12

28.71%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.06 $2.06

56.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.65 $1.65

90.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.08 $3.08

165.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.87 $4.87

64.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.81 $0.81

49.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.21 $3.21

59.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.04 $4.04

55.94%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.22 $4.22

16.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$8.77 $8.77

117.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$12.02 $12.02

53.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$16.93 $16.93

36.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$4.12 $4.12

41.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.31 $1.31

48.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.71 $3.71

42.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.25 $3.25

99.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$0.57 $0.57

526.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.48 $2.48

27.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.86 $1.86

53.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.93 $1.93

25.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.98 $9.98

27.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$8.89 $8.89

68.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.69 $2.69

55.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.40 $3.40

76.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.46 $2.46

3.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.28 $2.28

-28.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$24.53 $24.53

20.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.97 $0.97

46.39%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$37.3K $37.3K

-4.06%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

6.95%

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

$299 $299

$155 $155

92.91%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$48.83 $48.83

45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$72.2 $72.2

22.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$37.68 $37.68

111.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$15.25 $15.25

131.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$12.59 $12.59

35.98%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$481 $481

526.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$20.2K $20.2K

56.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$49.66 $49.66

55.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$46.39 $46.39

18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$79.5 $79.5

58.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$71.3 $71.3

128.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,095 $1,095

125.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$870 $870

124.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$1,694 $1,694

178.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,121 $1,121

216.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

$1,930 $1,930

280.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,985 $1,985

154.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,910 $3,910

60.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.46

6.04%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pocatello, ID: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Pocatello, ID

$870 45.1% 55.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Pocatello, ID

$345 17.9% 36.3% $196

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Pocatello, ID

$276 14.3% 39.7% $182

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Pocatello, ID

$249 12.9% 39% $159

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Pocatello, ID

$111 5.8% 41.3% $78

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Pocatello, ID

$14 * 0.7% 89.6% $119

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Pocatello, ID

$63 3.3% 44.7% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,095 in Pocatello, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 61% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $50.0 in Pocatello, ID for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $345 per month, with Pocatello, ID cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Pocatello, ID

🕒 Local time

11:54 11:54 AM

12:54 12:54 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

56,320

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Pocatello, ID 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Pocatello, ID

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 Pocatello, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pocatello, ID is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,095 in Pocatello, ID. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,013 in Seattle, WA versus $481 in Pocatello, ID. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pocatello, ID – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,929 in Pocatello, ID versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Pocatello, ID but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Pocatello, ID the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pocatello, ID 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 Pocatello, ID gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.