Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Renton, WA: $3,027 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Renton, WA
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Renton, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Renton, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,027

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Renton, 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 Renton, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,027 in Renton, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Renton, WA $3,027

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,071 in Renton, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Renton, WA $4,071

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,116 in Renton, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Renton, WA $5,116

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 25% more expensive than in Renton, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Renton, WA 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.98 $19.98

26.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$95.4 $95.4

5.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.15 $12.15

21.48%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.96 $4.96

31.05%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.44 $2.44

31.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.14 $2.14

46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.02 $5.02

58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.18 $7.18

13.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.13 $1.13

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.12 $4.12

28.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.77 $3.77

69.76%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.99 $4.99

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.98 $12.98

44.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$7.01 $7.01

167.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.68 $15.68

45.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.37 $3.37

79.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.68 $1.68

16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.24 $2.24

145.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.50 $3.50

86.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.34 $2.34

49.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.41 $2.41

36.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.79 $1.79

56.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.13 $2.13

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.27 $12.27

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.18 $10.18

46.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.78 $1.78

135.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.87 $2.87

102.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.48 $3.48

-12.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$74.2 $74.2

42.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.56 $3.56

-27.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.67 $0.67

144.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$15.23 $15.23

97.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.30 $1.30

8.46%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

46.11%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

7.97%

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

$308 $308

$198 $198

55.37%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$61.9 $61.9

11.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$60.7 $60.7

41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$37.51 $37.51

103.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$39.97 $39.97

-11.18%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.94 $14.94

20.62%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,618 $1,618

69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.4K $16.4K

86.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.4 $52.4

51.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$29.85 $29.85

81.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$62.4 $62.4

103.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$78.6 $78.6

102.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,740 $1,740

44.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,789 $1,789

8.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,030 $3,030

68.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,240 $2,240

58.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,769 $4,769

54.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,821 $3,821

30.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,238 $5,238

23.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Renton, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Renton, WA

$1.8K 59.1% 7.7% $150

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Renton, WA

$342 11.3% 37.6% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Renton, WA

$321 10.6% 30.7% $142

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Renton, WA

$314 10.4% 22.8% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Renton, WA

$100 3.3% 46.8% $88

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Renton, WA

$95 3.1% 26.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Renton, WA

$67 2.2% 40.1% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,740 in Renton, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 24% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $95 in Renton, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $342 per month, with Renton, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Renton, WA

🕒 Local time

01:51 1:51 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

106,785

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Renton, WA 17 km

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Renton, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Renton, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Renton, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $1,740 in Renton, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Renton, WA – a meal for two runs $95 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Renton, WA 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 Renton, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.