Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Richmond, VA: $2,888 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Richmond, VA
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Richmond, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Richmond, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,888

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,888 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Richmond, VA $2,888

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,184 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Richmond, VA $4,184

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,480 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Richmond, VA $5,480

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Richmond, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Richmond, VA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Richmond, VA by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.80 $24.80

2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$98.6 $98.6

2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.56 $13.56

8.85%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.99 $5.99

8.51%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.74 $2.74

17.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.36 $2.36

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.19 $7.19

10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.16 $8.16

-0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.15 $1.15

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.20 $4.20

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.83 $3.83

67.10%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$6.38 $6.38

-20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$9.70 $9.70

92.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.42 $11.42

63.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$20.96 $20.96

9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.83 $4.83

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.42 $1.42

37.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.94 $3.94

39.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.33 $4.33

50.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.86 $2.86

22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.43 $2.43

35.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.66 $2.66

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.07 $2.07

24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.86 $9.86

26.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.16 $13.16

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.26 $2.26

85.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.53 $4.53

28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$29.90 $29.90

254.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.57 $2.57

0.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.58 $1.58

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$22.48 $22.48

33.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.01 $1.01

39.60%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.3K $27.3K

34.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.32%

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

$308 $308

$209 $209

47.32%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$61.9 $61.9

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.8 $70.8

21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$56.4 $56.4

35.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$20.11 $20.11

76.53%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.19 $15.19

18.63%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,245 $1,245

120.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.0K $31.0K

-1.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$94.4 $94.4

-16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$46.32 $46.32

17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$101 $101

25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$117 $117

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,655 $1,655

51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,465 $1,465

32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,726 $2,726

87.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,225 $2,225

59.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,132 $3,132

135.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,846 $2,846

75.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,325 $4,325

49.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.49

6.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Richmond, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Richmond, VA

$1.5K 50.7% 24.4% $473

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Richmond, VA

$409 14.2% 25.2% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Richmond, VA

$342 11.8% 26.2% $121

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Richmond, VA

$384 13.3% 5.6% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Richmond, VA

$161 5.6% 14.4% $27

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Richmond, VA

$40 * 1.4% 68.7% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Richmond, VA

$87 3% 22.8% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,655 in Richmond, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $99 in Richmond, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $409 – making Richmond, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Richmond, VA

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

16:48 4:48 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

226,610

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Richmond, VA 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Richmond, 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 Richmond, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,332 in Richmond, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Richmond, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,655 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,888 in Richmond, VA. That makes Richmond, VA about 24% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,245 in Richmond, VA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,888 in Richmond, VA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Richmond, VA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Richmond, VA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.