Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Roy, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Roy, UT: $2,272 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Roy, UT
Learn more

Roy, UT Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Roy, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,272

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Roy, UT

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 Roy, UT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,272 in Roy, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Roy, UT $2,272

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,291 in Roy, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Roy, UT $3,291

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,311 in Roy, UT, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Roy, UT $4,311

Seattle, WA costs about 66% more than Roy, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Roy, UT sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Roy, UT by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$18.07 $18.07

35.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$73.8 $73.8

33.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.94 $9.94

48.79%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.16 $5.16

26.36%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.20 $2.20

46.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.67 $1.67

89.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.84 $5.84

34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.11 $8.11

-0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.62 $0.62

95.16%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.66 $2.66

93.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.01 $4.01

50.87%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.47 $3.47

40.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.82 $11.82

62.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.02 $12.02

57.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$10.81 $10.81

115.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.17 $4.17

43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.44 $1.44

34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.76 $3.76

39.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.07 $4.07

61.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.32 $2.32

56.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.43 $2.43

36.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.91 $1.91

45.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.92 $1.92

30.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.15 $10.15

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.03 $15.03

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.64 $2.64

59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.26 $3.26

76.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 $2.05

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$44.14 $44.14

140.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.57 $2.57

3.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.24 $2.24

-23.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$13.02 $13.02

128.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.03 $1.03

44.66%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$34.3K $34.3K

4.80%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.03%

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

$302 $302

$192 $192

57.46%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$49.23 $49.23

42.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$80.2 $80.2

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$42.01 $42.01

85.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$15.01 $15.01

130.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$10.85 $10.85

64.42%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,329 $1,329

123.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$21.0K $21.0K

49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$39.54 $39.54

93.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.97 $24.97

116.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.4 $89.4

43.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$107 $107

54.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,285 $1,285

90.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,059 $1,059

83.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,733 $1,733

173.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,648 $1,648

110.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,753 $2,753

167.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,391 $2,391

114.40%

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 Roy, UT: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Roy, UT

$1.1K 46.6% 45.6% $888

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Roy, UT

$348 15.3% 36.2% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Roy, UT

$321 14.1% 29.8% $136

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Roy, UT

$297 13.1% 25.6% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Roy, UT

$117 5.2% 38.4% $73

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Roy, UT

$66 2.9% 48.9% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Roy, UT

$64 2.8% 43.9% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,285 in Roy, UT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $74.0 in Roy, UT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $348 – making Roy, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Roy, UT

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

08:18 8:18 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

39,306

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Roy, UT 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Roy, UT

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 Roy, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 66%, 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 $3,408 in Roy, UT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 141% less in Roy, UT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,329 in Roy, UT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Roy, UT, where all-in costs run around $2,272, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Roy, UT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roy, UT – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Roy, UT. 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.