Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,836 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,390 in Portland, OR, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,763 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,908 in Portland, OR, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,691 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,426 in Portland, OR, rent included.

Seattle, WA costs about 13% more than Portland, OR, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Seattle, WA and Portland, OR sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Portland, OR by 147%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$24.63 $24.63

0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$87.1 $87.1

13.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$13.17 $13.17

14.58%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$6.04 $6.04

9.60%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.58 $2.58

21.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.98 $1.98

50.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.97 $7.97

1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.81 $7.81

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.16 $1.16

0.86%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.12 $5.12

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.64 $4.64

37.93%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.30 $5.30

-7.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$18.17 $18.17

18.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$16.51 $16.51

12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$25.74 $25.74

-10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$6.24 $6.24

-7.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.02 $2.02

-6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.61 $5.61

-4.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$9.57 $9.57

-34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.94 $2.94

29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.31 $2.31

41.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.12 $3.12

-8.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.51 $2.51

7.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.19 $11.19

26.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.28 $15.28

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.51 $3.51

24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.92 $4.92

16.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.73 $2.73

12.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$101 $101

8.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.05 $5.05

-49.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.87 $1.87

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$23.80 $23.80

25.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.22 $1.22

13.11%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

7.23%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.69%

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

$296 $296

$307 $307

-3.55%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$61.4 $61.4

16.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$70.0 $70.0

25.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$55.6 $55.6

46.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

$30.79 $30.79

15.95%

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$13.95 $13.95

31.40%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,698 $1,698

80.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

21.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$64.6 $64.6

19.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$42.11 $42.11

28.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$109 $109

16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$127 $127

30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$2,087 $2,087

15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,599 $1,599

20.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$3,507 $3,507

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,724 $2,724

31.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$3,913 $3,913

89.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$3,402 $3,402

48.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$4,535 $4,535

39.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.19

3.72%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Portland, OR: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $2,087 in Portland, OR. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Seattle, WA versus $87.0 in Portland, OR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $554 vs $544 – making Portland, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Portland, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA, $3,390 in Portland, OR – roughly 13% apart. Seattle, WA costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,754 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,085 in Portland, OR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portland, OR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,836 in Seattle, WA and $3,390 in Portland, OR. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Portland, OR. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,836 in Seattle, WA and $3,390 in Portland, OR. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,390 in Portland, OR to $3,836 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Portland, OR. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.