Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Provo, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Provo, UT: $2,276 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Provo, UT
Learn more

Provo, UT Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Provo, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Provo, UT

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 Provo, UT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,276 in Provo, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Provo, UT $2,276

A couple spends around $5,702 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,372 in Provo, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Provo, UT $3,372

A family of three spends $7,603 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,468 in Provo, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Provo, UT $4,468

Seattle, WA costs about 67% more than Provo, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Provo, UT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 182%, Provo, UT by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.18 $19.18

27.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$80.9 $80.9

21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.06 $10.06

47.02%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.23 $5.23

24.67%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.02 $2.02

59.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.88 $1.88

68.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.93 $4.93

59.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.85 $7.85

2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.92 $0.92

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.29 $3.29

56.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.40 $3.40

77.94%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.00 $4.00

22.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$8.25 $8.25

132.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$5.72 $5.72

230.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$11.21 $11.21

107.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.30 $4.30

39.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.52 $1.52

26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.67 $2.67

96.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.99 $2.99

119.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.11 $3.11

16.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.97 $1.97

68.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.69 $1.69

64.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.78 $2.78

-9.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.49 $10.49

16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$16.41 $16.41

-9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.89 $2.89

46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.96 $2.96

94.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.94 $2.94

0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$84.4 $84.4

25.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.54 $3.54

-25.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$13.46 $13.46

120.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.02 $1.02

46.08%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$33.2K $33.2K

8.15%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.92%

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

$302 $302

$130 $130

131.58%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$44.42 $44.42

57.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$64.0 $64.0

33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$22.70 $22.70

242.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$20.18 $20.18

71.36%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$11.21 $11.21

59.14%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$944 $944

214.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.24 $47.24

62.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$55.8 $55.8

-3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$64.3 $64.3

99.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$80.9 $80.9

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,398 $1,398

74.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,157 $1,157

68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,868 $1,868

153.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,888 $1,888

83.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,428 $2,428

203.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,321 $2,321

120.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,503 $3,503

85.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

7.19

-4.17%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Provo, UT: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Provo, UT

$1.2K 50.8% 40.6% $789

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Provo, UT

$322 14.1% 41.1% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Provo, UT

$239 10.5% 47.8% $219

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Provo, UT

$302 13.3% 24.4% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Provo, UT

$112 4.9% 41.3% $79

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Provo, UT

$100 * 4.4% 22.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Provo, UT

$45 2% 60.2% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,398 in Provo, UT. 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 79% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $81.0 in Provo, UT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $542 vs $322 – making Provo, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Provo, UT

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

04:50 4:50 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

115,162

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Provo, UT 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Provo, UT

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 Provo, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 67% more than Provo, UT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,701 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,415 in Provo, UT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $81.0 in Provo, UT. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,800 in Seattle, WA and $2,276 in Provo, UT. That's a gap of about 67%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Provo, UT, where all-in costs run around $2,276, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In Provo, UT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Provo, UT costs $2,276 versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Provo, UT. 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.