Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Pullman, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Pullman, WA: $2,297 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Pullman, WA
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Pullman, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Pullman, WA

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 Pullman, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,297 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Pullman, WA $2,297

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,370 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Pullman, WA $3,370

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,443 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Pullman, WA $4,443

Seattle, WA costs about 64% more than Pullman, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and Pullman, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Pullman, WA by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$16.78 $16.78

41.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$64.8 $64.8

52.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.62 $8.62

73.32%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.64 $4.64

46.34%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.14 $2.14

50.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.81 $1.81

74.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.61 $5.61

46.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.65 $5.65

39.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.01 $1.01

15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.64 $3.64

45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.78 $3.78

52.38%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$5.40 $5.40

-9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$21.22 $21.22

-4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$14.09 $14.09

27.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$23.43 $23.43

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.04 $5.04

17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.20 $2.20

-14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.42 $3.42

56.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$8.65 $8.65

-24.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.57 $2.57

31.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.08 $3.08

-6.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.51 $3.51

-17.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.82 $2.82

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.34 $8.34

46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.56 $13.56

12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.70 $1.70

157.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.93 $8.93

-34.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$0.99 $0.99

198.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$30.23 $30.23

261.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.91 $3.91

-35.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.83 $3.83

-55.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$49.74 $49.74

-40.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.02 $1.02

48.04%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$19.9K $19.9K

81.41%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$19.6K $19.6K

30.93%

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

$289 $289

$105 $105

176.16%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$85.6 $85.6

-19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$52.1 $52.1

62.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$30.33 $30.33

128.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$9.81 $9.81

257.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.80 $14.80

21.42%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,223 $1,223

130.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

105.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$52.6 $52.6

73.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$22.51 $22.51

144.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$99.1 $99.1

28.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$159 $159

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,204 $1,204

114.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,018 $1,018

90.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$1,982 $1,982

157.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,511 $1,511

134.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,245 $2,245

227.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,159 $2,159

127.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$5,600 $5,600

15.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.54

3.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Pullman, WA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Pullman, WA

$1K 44.3% 47.6% $924

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Pullman, WA

$498 21.7% 8.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Pullman, WA

$242 10.6% 45.3% $200

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Pullman, WA

$271 11.8% 32.1% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Pullman, WA

$150 6.5% 23.4% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Pullman, WA

$57 2.5% 56.7% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Pullman, WA

$60 2.6% 43.1% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,204 in Pullman, WA. 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 15% 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 in Seattle, WA versus $65 in Pullman, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $498 – making Pullman, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Pullman, WA

🕒 Local time

06:44 6:44 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

32,901

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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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 Pullman, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA, $2,297 in Pullman, WA – Pullman, WA comes out roughly 39% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,445 in Pullman, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pullman, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,204 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,223 in Pullman, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pullman, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,297, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Pullman, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pullman, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Pullman, WA. 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.