Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rochester, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rochester, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,830 in Rochester, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,078 in Rochester, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,327 in Rochester, MN.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 27% more expensive than Rochester, MN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Rochester, MN 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$16.08 $16.08

54.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$74.9 $74.9

57.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.81 $10.81

27.38%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$6.24 $6.24

-8.49%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.64 $2.64

15.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.24 $2.24

11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$4.88 $4.88

60.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.02 $7.02

12.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.91 $0.91

48.35%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.53 $2.53

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.18 $2.18

147.25%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$3.69 $3.69

85.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$12.50 $12.50

100.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.90 $11.90

33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.21 $16.21

27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.40 $4.40

39.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.58 $1.58

78.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.58 $3.58

53.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.60 $3.60

87.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.06 $2.06

52.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.09 $3.09

23.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.07 $3.07

-12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.98 $2.98

-11.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$9.19 $9.19

26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.02 $15.02

4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.78 $1.78

64.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.07 $3.07

38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.95 $1.95

44.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$42.19 $42.19

137.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.06 $2.06

26.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.21 $2.21

-22.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$20.32 $20.32

48.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.79 $0.79

50.63%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

28.23%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.4K $24.4K

6.86%

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

$263 $263

$124 $124

111.09%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$51.3 $51.3

18.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$59.6 $59.6

27.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$69.2 $69.2

14.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$12.10 $12.10

34.46%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,354 $1,354

68.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$11.7K $11.7K

149.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$64.5 $64.5

6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$62.1 $62.1

-16.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$73.2 $73.2

58.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$84.9 $84.9

69.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,439 $1,439

62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,604 $1,604

16.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,111 $2,111

119.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,628 $2,628

32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,053 $2,053

278.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,133 $2,133

145.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,598 $4,598

43.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.4

0.31%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rochester, MN: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,439 in Rochester, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 44% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $75.0 in Rochester, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $373 per month, with Rochester, MN 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 Rochester, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rochester, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 44% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,439 in Rochester, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rochester, MN – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $118 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. Rochester, MN 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 Rochester, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,830 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rochester, MN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rochester, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.