Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Prince Rupert, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Prince Rupert, BC: $1,989 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Prince Rupert, BC, Canada
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,762
/mo nomad
Prince Rupert, BC
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,989
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Prince Rupert, BC

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 Prince Rupert, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,762
  • Prince Rupert, BC $1,989

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,170 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,651
  • Prince Rupert, BC $3,170

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,350 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,541
  • Prince Rupert, BC $4,350

Seattle, WA costs about 89% more than Prince Rupert, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Prince Rupert, BC sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Prince Rupert, BC by 47%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 $23.80
$17.71 CA$24.90
34.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.6 $98.6
$65.4 CA$92.0
50.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.94 $14.94
$10.59 CA$14.89
41.08%
Cappuccino
$6.79 $6.79
$3.81 CA$5.35
78.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$1.98 CA$2.79
63.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.70 CA$2.39
85.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.21 $8.21
$5.20 CA$7.31
57.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 $7.87
$5.63 CA$7.91
39.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$2.01 CA$2.83
-41.79%
White Bread (500g)
$5.29 $5.29
$2.62 CA$3.68
101.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.76 $5.76
$3.34 CA$4.69
72.46%
Eggs
$4.89 $4.89
$5.07 CA$7.12
-3.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.25 $20.25
$10.70 CA$15.05
89.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.95 $17.95
$13.09 CA$18.42
37.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.35 $23.35
$13.44 CA$18.91
73.74%
Apples (1kg)
$5.94 $5.94
$1.74 CA$2.45
241.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.05 CA$1.47
80.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$3.97 CA$5.58
34.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$3.90 CA$5.48
68.46%
Potato (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$2.43 CA$3.42
39.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$2.12 CA$2.98
35.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.48 CA$3.49
16.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.68 CA$2.36
44.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.18 $12.18
$14.12 CA$19.86
-13.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$13.04 CA$18.33
16.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.69 CA$3.78
62.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 $5.89
$3.04 CA$4.27
93.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.35 CA$3.31
25.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 $109
$62.3 CA$87.6
75.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.99 CA$4.21
-15.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.50 CA$2.11
14.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.70 $29.70
$22.18 CA$31.20
33.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.33 CA$1.87
13.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$30.9K CA$43.4K
17.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$21.2K CA$29.8K
21.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 $289
$133 CA$187
117.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$44.63 CA$62.8
54.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.8 $84.8
$61.4 CA$86.4
38.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 $69.4
$35.70 CA$50.2
94.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.05 $35.05
$17.58 CA$24.72
99.37%
Cinema Ticket
$17.97 $17.97
$11.29 CA$15.88
59.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,819 $2,819
$665 CA$935
323.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$43.9K $43.9K
$14.7K CA$20.6K
199.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.2 $91.2
$59.1 CA$83.1
54.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 $55.1
$39.51 CA$55.6
39.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$84.3 CA$119
50.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 $162
$107 CA$151
50.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 $2,579
$1,081 CA$1,520
138.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,943 $1,943
$852 CA$1,199
127.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,100 $5,100
$2,042 CA$2,872
149.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,541 $3,541
$1,786 CA$2,511
98.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,357 $7,357
$3,937 CA$5,536
86.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,921 $4,921
$3,214 CA$4,520
53.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Prince Rupert, BC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,448 $6,448
$3,158 CA$4,441
104.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
4.68
45.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Prince Rupert, BC: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Prince Rupert, BC
$852 56.1% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$544
Prince Rupert, BC
$355 34.6% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$443
Prince Rupert, BC
$239 46% $204
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$399
Prince Rupert, BC
$271 32.1% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$196
Prince Rupert, BC
$131 33.3% $65
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$132
Prince Rupert, BC
$82 37.8% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$105
Prince Rupert, BC
$58 44.7% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,081 in Prince Rupert, BC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Seattle, WA are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $65 in Prince Rupert, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $355 – making Prince Rupert, BC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇨🇦 Prince Rupert, BC
🕒 Local time
13:58 1:58 PM
14:58 2:58 PM
1 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
12,220
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Prince Rupert, BC 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Prince Rupert, BC

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 Prince Rupert, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Prince Rupert, BC cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,984 in Prince Rupert, BC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Prince Rupert, BC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,081 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 43% less in Prince Rupert, BC. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $665 in Prince Rupert, BC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Seattle, WA or in Prince Rupert, BC?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Prince Rupert, BC, where all-in costs run around $1,989, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Prince Rupert, BC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Seattle, WA or Prince Rupert, BC more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Prince Rupert, BC – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Prince Rupert, BC. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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