Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, NY: $2,314 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 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
114

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, NY
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Rochester, NY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Rochester, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,314

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Rochester, NY

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 Rochester, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,744 in Seattle, WA versus $2,314 in Rochester, NY.

Seattle, WA $3,744
Rochester, NY $2,314

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in Seattle, WA versus $3,586 in Rochester, NY.

Seattle, WA $5,703
Rochester, NY $3,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,661 in Seattle, WA versus $4,858 in Rochester, NY.

Seattle, WA $7,661
Rochester, NY $4,858

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 62% more expensive than in Rochester, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Rochester, NY 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$22.76 $22.76

7.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$74.4 $74.4

33.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.08 $10.08

51.79%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.41 $5.41

22.37%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.87 $2.87

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.47 $2.47

25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.52 $4.52

71.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$5.83 $5.83

36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.74 $0.74

63.51%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.43 $3.43

44.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$5.49 $5.49

12.39%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$3.82 $3.82

29.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

$10.73 $10.73

77.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$7.97 $7.97

134.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$15.07 $15.07

53.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.90 $3.90

52.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.22 $1.22

59.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.48 $5.48

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.88 $4.88

34.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.71 $3.71

-2.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$4.15 $4.15

-23.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.13 $2.13

36.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.12 $2.12

12.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$14.79 $14.79

-16.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$10.05 $10.05

49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.38 $2.38

80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.64 $3.64

56.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 $2.02

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$45.46 $45.46

138.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.45 $2.45

7.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.81 $1.81

-3.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$20.82 $20.82

44.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.06 $1.06

37.74%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.1K $35.1K

4.60%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-5.52%

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

$299 $299

$146 $146

105.28%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$51.8 $51.8

34.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

$72.4 $72.4

24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

$44.06 $44.06

81.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

$45.39 $45.39

-21.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$13.73 $13.73

26.22%

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

$2,986 $2,986

$1,379 $1,379

116.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$29.4K $29.4K

6.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

$40.94 $40.94

89.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$33.37 $33.37

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$82.9 $82.9

51.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$87.0 $87.0

89.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,367 $1,367

76.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,157 $1,157

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

$2,294 $2,294

108.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$2,041 $2,041

74.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$1,437 $1,437

417.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

$1,445 $1,445

246.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$3,953 $3,953

58.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.8

0.74%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Rochester, NY: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

Rochester, NY

$1.2K 48.9% 41.1% $806

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

Rochester, NY

$362 15.3% 33.1% $179

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

Rochester, NY

$270 11.4% 41.2% $189

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

Rochester, NY

$333 14.1% 17.2% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

Rochester, NY

$110 4.6% 42.3% $81

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Rochester, NY

$65 2.7% 50.8% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

Rochester, NY

$72 3% 37.6% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,407 in Seattle, WA and $1,367 in Rochester, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 59% 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: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $74.0 in Rochester, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $362 per month, with Rochester, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Rochester, NY

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

06:41 6:41 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

211,328

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Rochester, NY 3,480 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Rochester, NY

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 Rochester, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, NY wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rochester, NY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $2,407 in Seattle, WA versus $1,367 in Rochester, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rochester, NY – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,744 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,314 in Rochester, NY – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,314 in Rochester, NY versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rochester, NY but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Rochester, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rochester, NY delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,314 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rochester, NY hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rochester, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.