Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Queens, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Queens, NY: $3,339 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Queens, NY
Learn more

Queens, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Queens, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,339

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Queens, NY

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 Queens, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $3,339 in Queens, NY.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Queens, NY $3,339

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,831 in Queens, NY.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Queens, NY $4,831

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $6,323 in Queens, NY.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Queens, NY $6,323

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 13% more expensive than in Queens, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Queens, NY 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.16 $19.16

27.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$80.1 $80.1

22.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$13.04 $13.04

13.42%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.18 $6.18

5.50%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.53 $2.53

27.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.49 $1.49

112.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$9.25 $9.25

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.93 $6.93

15.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.27 $1.27

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.36 $4.36

17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.02 $6.02

0.50%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$6.88 $6.88

-29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.73 $13.73

39.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.31 $10.31

83.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.51 $19.51

19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.49 $3.49

-44.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.40 $4.40

19.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.21 $5.21

26.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.02 $3.02

19.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.05 $3.05

8.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.11 $3.11

-10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.09 $3.09

-18.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.63 $14.63

-16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.84 $14.84

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.85 $1.85

128.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.51 $3.51

64.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.94 $2.94

0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$131 $131

-18.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.96 $2.96

-10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.22 $2.22

-22.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$41.49 $41.49

-28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.09 $1.09

36.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.88%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.77%

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

$302 $302

$175 $175

72.67%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$49.84 $49.84

40.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$50.7 $50.7

68.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$45.68 $45.68

70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$67.6 $67.6

-48.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$20.43 $20.43

-12.68%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,979 $1,979

50.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$16.2K $16.2K

92.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.52 $49.52

54.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$81.0 $81.0

-33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$85.7 $85.7

49.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$104 $104

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,272 $2,272

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,870 $1,870

4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$5,863 $5,863

-19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,964 $2,964

17.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$8,775 $8,775

-16.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$6,134 $6,134

-16.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,625 $3,625

79.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.8

1.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Queens, NY: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Queens, NY

$1.9K 56% 4% $77

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Queens, NY

$464 13.9% 14.9% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Queens, NY

$275 8.3% 39.8% $182

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Queens, NY

$343 10.3% 14.2% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Queens, NY

$144 4.3% 24.3% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Queens, NY

$156 4.7% 20.9% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Queens, NY

$87 2.6% 23.8% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,272 in Queens, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 80% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Queens, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $464 per month, with Queens, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Queens, NY

🕒 Local time

06:16 6:16 AM

09:16 9:16 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

2,405,464

💱 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 Queens, NY 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Queens, NY

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 Queens, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Queens, NY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 80% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,272 in Queens, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Queens, NY – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,339 in Queens, NY – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Queens, NY is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Queens, NY 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 Queens, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.