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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Seattle, WA versus $2,980 in Renton, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,605 in Seattle, WA versus $4,205 in Renton, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,645 in Seattle, WA versus $5,431 in Renton, WA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Renton, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 167% above, Renton, WA 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.79 $24.79

$22.12 $22.12

12.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$116 $116

2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.85 $11.85

19.41%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$6.30 $6.30

-9.37%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.59 $2.59

13.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.03 $2.03

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$7.97 $7.97

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.17 $7.17

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.08 $1.08

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.97 $3.97

27.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.72 $3.72

41.13%

Eggs

$6.91 $6.91

$4.93 $4.93

40.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 $24.95

$14.98 $14.98

66.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 $15.75

$12.95 $12.95

21.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$15.53 $15.53

33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$3.41 $3.41

81.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.75 $1.75

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.13 $2.13

159.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$3.38 $3.38

89.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.06 $2.06

53.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.38 $2.38

63.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.90 $1.90

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.70 $1.70

48.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

$10.57 $10.57

7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 $15.67

$14.94 $14.94

4.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.15 $2.15

33.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.97 $2.97

43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.55 $3.55

-23.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

$76.3 $76.3

29.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.96 $3.96

-34.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.68 $29.68

$14.82 $14.82

100.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.18 $1.18

-3.39%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$20.8K $20.8K

57.81%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

3.98%

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

$264 $264

$155 $155

70.61%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$55.5 $55.5

10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$70.3 $70.3

7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

$38.65 $38.65

101.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.28 $40.28

$39.43 $39.43

2.16%

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 $16.11

$14.90 $14.90

8.12%

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

$2,212 $2,212

$1,579 $1,579

40.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K $29.0K

$30.3K $30.3K

-4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 $69.3

$45.71 $45.71

51.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$30.05 $30.05

78.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$67.9 $67.9

75.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$85.2 $85.2

66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 $2,357

$1,815 $1,815

29.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$1,713 $1,713

7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,686 $4,686

$3,589 $3,589

30.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,571 $3,571

$2,184 $2,184

63.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,539 $7,539

$4,632 $4,632

62.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 $5,046

$3,764 $3,764

34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,473 $6,473

$5,043 $5,043

28.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.61

-2.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Renton, WA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,357 in Seattle, WA and $1,815 in Renton, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 28% 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: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $116 in Renton, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $543 vs $380 per month, with Renton, WA cheaper across the board.

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 28% 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: $2,357 in Seattle, WA versus $1,815 in Renton, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% 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 $116 versus $119 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 work as nomad bases, but Renton, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,980 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Renton, WA hard to pass up.

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.