Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Reston, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Reston, VA: $3,210 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 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
156

Cost of Living Index in Reston, VA
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Reston, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Reston, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Reston, VA

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 Reston, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,210 in Reston, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Reston, VA $3,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $5,151 in Reston, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Reston, VA $5,151

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $7,092 in Reston, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Reston, VA $7,092

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 18% more expensive than in Reston, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Reston, VA 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.67 $24.67

2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.18 $10.18

44.99%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.90 $5.90

10.17%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.97 $2.97

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.66 $2.66

18.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.04 $7.04

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.44 $7.44

9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.29 $1.29

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.19 $4.19

26.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.31 $4.31

48.49%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.29 $5.29

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$17.14 $17.14

9.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$16.56 $16.56

13.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$23.03 $23.03

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.93 $6.93

-12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.73 $1.73

12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.99 $3.99

38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.93 $5.93

9.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.89 $2.89

20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.72 $3.72

-11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.91 $2.91

-3.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.46 $2.46

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.99 $13.99

-10.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.29 $18.29

-18.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.67 $4.67

24.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.93 $3.93

-22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$128 $128

-17.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.99 $3.99

-35.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.61 $1.61

1.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$25.13 $25.13

19.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.00 $1.00

41.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$30.3K $30.3K

21.35%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.7K $23.7K

12.33%

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

$308 $308

$214 $214

43.45%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$63.7 $63.7

8.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$79.2 $79.2

8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$101 $101

-24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$30.23 $30.23

17.43%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.91 $15.91

13.26%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,926 $2,926

-6.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$41.5K $41.5K

-26.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$75.2 $75.2

5.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.29 $43.29

25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$106 $106

19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$126 $126

25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,364 $2,364

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,536 $1,536

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,630 $3,630

40.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,204 $3,204

10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$6,480 $6,480

13.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,297 $4,297

16.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,272 $6,272

3.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.63

3.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Reston, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Reston, VA

$1.5K 47.8% 20.8% $402

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Reston, VA

$499 15.5% 8.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Reston, VA

$357 11.1% 22.8% $106

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Reston, VA

$371 11.6% 8.6% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Reston, VA

$158 4.9% 16.3% $31

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Reston, VA

$156 4.9% 20.8% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Reston, VA

$133 4.2% 18.3% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,364 in Reston, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 3% 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 $118 in Reston, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $499, with Reston, VA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Reston, VA

🕒 Local time

20:30 8:30 PM

23:30 11:30 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

58,404

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Reston, VA 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Reston, VA

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 Reston, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reston, VA wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Reston, VA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3% 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 $2,364 in Reston, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $118 in Reston, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,210 in Reston, VA – Reston, VA is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Reston, VA 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.

It comes down to priorities – Reston, VA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.