Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Saint Cloud, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Cloud, MN: $1,894 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 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
91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Saint Cloud, MN $1,894

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $2,718 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Saint Cloud, MN $2,718

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $3,543 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Saint Cloud, MN $3,543

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 100% more expensive than in Saint Cloud, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Saint Cloud, MN 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.19 $15.19

61.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$40.27 $40.27

143.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$8.63 $8.63

71.38%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.47 $4.47

45.86%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.88 $2.88

12.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.25 $2.25

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.08 $6.08

29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.85 $4.85

65.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.92 $0.92

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.50 $1.50

242.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.90 $1.90

218.42%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.78 $3.78

29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$9.54 $9.54

101.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$6.53 $6.53

189.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.42 $19.42

20.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.66 $3.66

63.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.09 $1.09

77.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.82 $2.82

86.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.63 $3.63

80.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.03 $2.03

78.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.91 $2.91

13.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.99 $1.99

39.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.08 $3.08

-18.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.38 $11.38

7.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.07 $15.07

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.69 $1.69

149.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.04 $3.04

89.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.71 $1.71

72.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.8 $59.8

77.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.48 $3.48

-23.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.84 $0.84

104.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$12.16 $12.16

144.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.92 $0.92

61.96%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.2K $30.2K

18.83%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.7K $23.7K

10.71%

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

$302 $302

$118 $118

155.99%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$46.72 $46.72

50.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$43.38 $43.38

96.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$24.65 $24.65

215.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$28.09 $28.09

23.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.18 $12.18

46.47%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,709 $1,709

73.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$5,778 $5,778

441.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.4 $57.4

33.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.1 $50.1

7.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$73.4 $73.4

74.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$78.9 $78.9

107.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$931 $931

162.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$862 $862

125.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,371 $1,371

246.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,290 $1,290

168.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,993 $1,993

269.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,745 $1,745

193.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,967 $3,967

64.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.61

4.24%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Saint Cloud, MN

$862 45.5% 55.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Saint Cloud, MN

$322 17% 41% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Saint Cloud, MN

$208 11% 54.5% $249

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Saint Cloud, MN

$262 13.8% 34.5% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2% 38.6% $73

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Saint Cloud, MN

$74 3.9% 42.5% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6% 56.8% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $931 in Saint Cloud, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 64% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $322 per month, with Saint Cloud, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🕒 Local time

00:18 12:18 AM

02:18 2:18 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

67,109

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Saint Cloud, MN 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Saint Cloud, MN differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($3,782 vs $1,894 including rent). Saint Cloud, MN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $931 in Saint Cloud, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Saint Cloud, MN runs roughly 78% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint Cloud, MN but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Cloud, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Saint Cloud, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.