Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Reno, NV

For one person, living is cheaper in Reno, NV: $2,939 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
141

Cost of Living Index in Reno, NV
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Reno, NV Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Reno, NV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,939

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Reno, NV

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 Reno, NV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,939 in Reno, NV.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Reno, NV $2,939

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,216 in Reno, NV.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Reno, NV $4,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,494 in Reno, NV.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Reno, NV $5,494

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 29% more expensive than in Reno, NV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Reno, NV 116% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$26.27 $26.27

-3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$86.5 $86.5

16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.81 $12.81

15.22%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.34 $5.34

21.72%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.73 $2.73

17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.94 $1.94

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.23 $7.23

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.56 $7.56

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.15 $1.15

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.98 $3.98

33.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.89 $3.89

64.52%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.25 $5.25

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.74 $11.74

59.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$16.00 $16.00

17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$23.46 $23.46

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.44 $4.44

36.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.49 $1.49

30.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.01 $3.01

83.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.91 $6.91

-5.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.07 $3.07

13.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.73 $3.73

-11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.73 $2.73

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.27 $2.27

13.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.51 $10.51

18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.44 $12.44

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.98 $1.98

111.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.61 $3.61

60.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.04 $2.04

49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$64.2 $64.2

65.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.80 $3.80

-32.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.59 $2.59

-36.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$32.64 $32.64

-7.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.28 $1.28

10.16%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.13%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.82%

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

$308 $308

$177 $177

73.76%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$95.4 $95.4

-27.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$89.5 $89.5

-3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$32.43 $32.43

135.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$15.91 $15.91

123.13%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.33 $14.33

25.75%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,300 $1,300

111.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$27.8K $27.8K

9.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$54.2 $54.2

46.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$32.80 $32.80

65.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$74.7 $74.7

69.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$144 $144

10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,829 $1,829

37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,459 $1,459

32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,811 $2,811

82.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,153 $2,153

64.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,519 $3,519

109.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,606 $3,606

38.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,363 $4,363

48.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.82

1.03%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Reno, NV: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Reno, NV

$1.5K 49.6% 24.7% $479

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Reno, NV

$448 15.2% 18.1% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Reno, NV

$362 12.3% 21.8% $101

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Reno, NV

$383 13% 5.8% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Reno, NV

$138 4.7% 27% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Reno, NV

$89 3% 30.9% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Reno, NV

$61 2.1% 45.7% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,829 in Reno, NV. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 48% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $86 in Reno, NV for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $448 per month, with Reno, NV cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Reno, NV

🕒 Local time

07:33 7:33 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

271,953

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Reno, NV 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Reno, NV

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 Reno, NV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reno, NV is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,829 in Reno, NV. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,939 in Reno, NV – Reno, NV is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Reno, NV runs roughly 39% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Reno, NV gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.