Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rockville, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Rockville, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $3,087 in Rockville, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $4,711 in Rockville, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $6,336 in Rockville, MD.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 26% more expensive than in Rockville, MD, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Rockville, MD 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$24.16 $24.16

5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.7 $76.7

31.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.18 $10.18

45.38%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$5.47 $5.47

21.21%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.63 $2.63

17.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.78 $1.78

66.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$6.59 $6.59

20.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.60 $7.60

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.14 $1.14

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.97 $2.97

73.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.64 $2.64

133.33%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$4.02 $4.02

26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$9.50 $9.50

124.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$13.85 $13.85

33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$18.71 $18.71

23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.60 $5.60

7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.31 $1.31

43.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.61 $5.61

-7.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$4.45 $4.45

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.83 $2.83

33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.64 $2.64

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.17 $2.17

32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.79 $1.79

48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$14.12 $14.12

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.28 $14.28

5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.46 $2.46

69.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.69 $3.69

52.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.31 $3.31

-10.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$142 $142

-24.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.10 $5.10

-49.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.12 $1.12

47.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$23.10 $23.10

27.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.03 $1.03

41.75%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$34.4K $34.4K

4.72%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.0K $25.0K

1.73%

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

$306 $306

$297 $297

3.24%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$49.90 $49.90

40.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$60.2 $60.2

45.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$42.52 $42.52

87.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

$12.59 $12.59

175.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$16.30 $16.30

9.51%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$1,887 $1,887

59.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$28.2K $28.2K

10.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$46.38 $46.38

65.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$40.55 $40.55

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$88.6 $88.6

41.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$130 $130

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,090 $2,090

17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,553 $1,553

27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$3,807 $3,807

28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$2,893 $2,893

25.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$4,315 $4,315

70.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$2,456 $2,456

103.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

$6,208 $6,208

-0.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.03

6.97%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rockville, MD: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $2,090 in Rockville, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockville, MD pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $77.0 in Rockville, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $551 vs $394 per month, with Rockville, MD 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 Rockville, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rockville, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rockville, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Rockville, MD. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $2,090 in Rockville, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rockville, MD – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $101 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. Rockville, MD 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 Rockville, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,087 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rockville, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rockville, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.