Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rockford, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockford, IL: $2,176 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
103

Cost of Living Index in Rockford, IL
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Rockford, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Rockford, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,176

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Rockford, IL

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 Rockford, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,176 in Rockford, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Rockford, IL $2,176

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,485 in Rockford, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Rockford, IL $3,485

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,795 in Rockford, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Rockford, IL $4,795

Seattle, WA costs about 73% more than Rockford, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Rockford, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Rockford, IL by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$15.58 $15.58

52.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$76.3 $76.3

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$9.65 $9.65

54.82%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.08 $5.08

33.66%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.76 $2.76

17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.02 $2.02

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$4.48 $4.48

83.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.10 $7.10

10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.82 $0.82

42.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.59 $3.59

47.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$5.11 $5.11

12.72%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$2.92 $2.92

67.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$10.19 $10.19

98.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$13.69 $13.69

31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$17.03 $17.03

37.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.03 $5.03

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.52 $1.52

24.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.75 $3.75

42.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.25 $5.25

25.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.47 $2.47

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.61 $2.61

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.22 $2.22

30.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.57 $10.57

15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.73 $15.73

-3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.04 $2.04

114.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.88 $1.88

213.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$55.7 $55.7

96.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.76 $2.76

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.58 $1.58

8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$21.16 $21.16

40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.99 $0.99

52.53%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

6.43%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.55%

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

$289 $289

$188 $188

53.91%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$45.31 $45.31

52.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$71.7 $71.7

18.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$41.86 $41.86

65.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$25.37 $25.37

38.16%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.00 $14.00

28.36%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$516 $516

446.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$4,061 $4,061

981.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$46.05 $46.05

97.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$34.68 $34.68

58.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.0 $95.0

33.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$113 $113

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,292 $1,292

99.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$943 $943

106.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,355 $2,355

116.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,040 $2,040

73.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$1,452 $1,452

406.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$1,439 $1,439

241.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,408 $3,408

89.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.49

4.78%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rockford, IL: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Rockford, IL

$943 43.3% 51.5% $1,000

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Rockford, IL

$392 18% 27.9% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Rockford, IL

$305 14% 31.2% $138

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Rockford, IL

$270 12.4% 32.3% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Rockford, IL

$130 6% 33.7% $66

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Rockford, IL

$66 * 3.1% 49.8% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Rockford, IL

$70 3.2% 33.7% $36

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,292 in Rockford, IL. 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 89% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Rockford, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $392 – making Rockford, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Rockford, IL

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

06:43 6:43 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

148,655

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Rockford, IL 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Rockford, IL

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 Rockford, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 73%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,264 in Rockford, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rockford, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,292 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,819 per month in Seattle, WA and $516 in Rockford, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rockford, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,176, than in Seattle, WA at $3,762. In Rockford, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rockford, IL – 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 Rockford, IL. 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.