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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,025 in Rockville, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,726 in Rockville, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,427 in Rockville, MD.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than Rockville, MD, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Rockville, MD 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$21.03 $21.03

17.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$80.3 $80.3

46.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.40 $10.40

32.40%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.47 $5.47

4.39%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.49 $2.49

22.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.12 $2.12

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.45 $6.45

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.46 $7.46

5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.24 $1.24

8.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.83 $3.83

32.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.46 $4.46

20.85%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.13 $4.13

65.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$13.49 $13.49

85.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$14.74 $14.74

7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.20 $16.20

27.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.71 $6.71

-8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.60 $1.60

76.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.43 $6.43

-14.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.31 $5.31

26.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.85 $2.85

10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.81 $2.81

35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.79 $1.79

50.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.81 $11.81

-1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.72 $14.72

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.27 $2.27

29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.58 $3.58

18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.60 $2.60

8.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$138 $138

-27.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.92 $2.92

-10.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.34 $1.34

28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$24.41 $24.41

23.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.84 $0.84

41.67%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$31.3K $31.3K

4.59%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.61%

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

$263 $263

$172 $172

52.20%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$46.41 $46.41

31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$71.2 $71.2

6.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.24 $42.24

88.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$12.55 $12.55

217.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$15.10 $15.10

7.75%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,750 $1,750

30.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$33.0K $33.0K

-11.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$51.1 $51.1

34.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$52.7 $52.7

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$93.7 $93.7

23.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$118 $118

21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,067 $2,067

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,580 $1,580

17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$3,831 $3,831

20.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,156 $3,156

10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$4,247 $4,247

82.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,412 $2,412

116.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,333 $6,333

4.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.55

-1.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rockville, MD: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $2,067 in Rockville, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 4% 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 $80.0 in Rockville, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $444 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 19% 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.

Seattle, WA pays 4% 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 $2,067 in Rockville, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 $80.0 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. 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 $3,025 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 19% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.