Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Roma, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Roma, TX: $2,590 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Roma, TX
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Roma, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Roma, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,590

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Roma, TX

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 Roma, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,590 in Roma, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Roma, TX $2,590

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,815 in Roma, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Roma, TX $3,815

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,040 in Roma, TX, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Roma, TX $5,040

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than Roma, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Roma, TX sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Roma, TX by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.08 $20.08

22.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$76.0 $76.0

29.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.71 $11.71

26.30%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.35 $5.35

21.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.68 $2.68

20.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.94 $1.94

63.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.03 $6.03

30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.16 $7.16

12.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.00 $1.00

21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.47 $3.47

48.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.43 $4.43

36.57%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.24 $4.24

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.47 $12.47

53.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.37 $11.37

66.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$16.81 $16.81

38.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.05 $5.05

18.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.59 $1.59

21.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.41 $4.41

19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.75 $4.75

38.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.75 $2.75

31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.94 $2.94

12.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.21 $2.21

25.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.32 $2.32

8.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.77 $9.77

24.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.82 $14.82

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.00 $2.00

111.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.31 $3.31

74.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.99 $1.99

48.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$26.19 $26.19

305.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.17 $3.17

-16.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 $1.71

0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$32.20 $32.20

-7.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.97 $0.97

53.61%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.5K $27.5K

30.64%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.35%

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

$302 $302

$195 $195

54.46%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$58.3 $58.3

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$70.8 $70.8

20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.25 $42.25

84.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$20.19 $20.19

71.27%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.32 $14.32

24.58%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,459 $1,459

103.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$21.9K $21.9K

42.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$53.2 $53.2

43.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.88 $40.88

32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.8 $89.8

42.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$115 $115

42.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,625 $1,625

50.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,294 $1,294

50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,473 $2,473

91.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,158 $2,158

60.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,728 $2,728

170.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,377 $2,377

115.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$1,310 $1,310

396.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Roma, TX: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Roma, TX

$1.3K 50% 33.5% $653

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Roma, TX

$397 15.3% 27.2% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Roma, TX

$325 12.5% 29% $133

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Roma, TX

$323 12.5% 19.2% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Roma, TX

$135 5.2% 29.3% $56

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Roma, TX

$46 1.8% 64.5% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Roma, TX

$71 2.7% 37.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,625 in Roma, TX. 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 397% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $76.0 in Roma, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $397 – making Roma, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Roma, TX

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

05:20 5:20 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

11,561

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Roma, TX 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Roma, TX

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 Roma, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,885 in Roma, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roma, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $76.0 in Roma, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,590 in Roma, TX. That's a gap of about 46%.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,590 in Roma, TX. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Roma, TX – 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 Roma, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.