Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rock Springs, WY

For one person, living is cheaper in Rock Springs, WY: $2,444 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 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
119

Cost of Living Index in Rock Springs, WY
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Rock Springs, WY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Rock Springs, WY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,444

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Rock Springs, WY

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 Rock Springs, WY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Rock Springs, WY $2,444

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,553 in Rock Springs, WY.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Rock Springs, WY $3,553

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,662 in Rock Springs, WY.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Rock Springs, WY $4,662

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 55% more expensive than in Rock Springs, WY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Rock Springs, WY 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$17.73 $17.73

38.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$73.2 $73.2

34.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.81 $9.81

50.76%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.97 $4.97

31.19%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.30 $2.30

40.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.65 $1.65

92.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.90 $4.90

60.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.84 $5.84

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.88 $0.88

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.95 $3.95

30.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.80 $1.80

236.11%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.95 $2.95

65.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$10.90 $10.90

75.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$9.96 $9.96

89.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.13 $17.13

36.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.98 $3.98

50.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.35 $1.35

42.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.36 $3.36

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.88 $2.88

128.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.93 $1.93

87.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.51 $2.51

31.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.94 $1.94

43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.99 $0.99

153.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.92 $8.92

36.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.95 $14.95

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.63 $2.63

60.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.27 $3.27

76.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.72 $1.72

71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.46 $2.46

7.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.27 $2.27

-24.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$25.36 $25.36

17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.01 $1.01

47.52%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

2.58%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.0K $24.0K

9.38%

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

$302 $302

$197 $197

52.98%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$44.10 $44.10

59.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$79.8 $79.8

6.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.29 $42.29

84.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.05 $15.05

18.54%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,294 $1,294

129.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$20.5K $20.5K

52.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.17 $49.17

55.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$46.34 $46.34

16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$81.3 $81.3

57.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$106 $106

54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$791 $791

209.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,283 $1,283

51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,519 $2,519

88.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,113 $2,113

64.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,563 $1,563

371.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,608 $1,608

218.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.46

6.66%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rock Springs, WY: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Rock Springs, WY

$1.3K 52.5% 34.1% $664

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Rock Springs, WY

$337 13.8% 38.2% $209

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Rock Springs, WY

$321 13.1% 29.8% $136

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Rock Springs, WY

$283 11.6% 29.2% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Rock Springs, WY

$127 5.2% 33.1% $63

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Rock Springs, WY

$21 * 0.9% 84% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Rock Springs, WY

$72 3% 36.2% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $791 in Rock Springs, WY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $73.0 in Rock Springs, WY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $337 per month, with Rock Springs, WY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Rock Springs, WY

🕒 Local time

00:31 12:31 AM

01:31 1:31 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

22,105

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Rock Springs, WY 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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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 Rock Springs, WY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rock Springs, WY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,673 in Seattle, WA and $3,667 in Rock Springs, WY to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $791 in Rock Springs, WY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,294 in Rock Springs, WY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rock Springs, WY – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rock Springs, WY but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Rock Springs, WY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rock Springs, WY is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Rock Springs, WY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.