Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 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
117

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Saint Paul, 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 Paul, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Saint Paul, MN $2,445

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,672 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Saint Paul, MN $3,672

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,900 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Saint Paul, MN $4,900

Seattle, WA costs about 55% more than Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Saint Paul, MN sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Saint Paul, MN by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.66 $15.66

61.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$67.8 $67.8

48.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.07 $10.07

46.57%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.03 $5.03

29.22%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.09 $3.09

3.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.59 $2.59

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.04 $6.04

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.37 $7.37

10.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.98 $0.98

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.80 $3.80

39.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.33 $3.33

92.19%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.96 $2.96

70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$9.39 $9.39

99.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.66 $9.66

93.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.17 $13.17

73.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.84 $4.84

25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.11 $1.11

75.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.88 $5.88

-6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.92 $4.92

32.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.81 $3.81

-8.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.48 $3.48

-5.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.05 $2.05

36.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.75 $1.75

47.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.68 $12.68

-1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.65 $14.65

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.69 $1.69

147.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.41 $3.41

70.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.96 $1.96

55.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$104 $104

2.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.52 $1.52

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$31.02 $31.02

-2.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.03 $1.03

36.89%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

35.83%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

0.03%

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

$308 $308

$232 $232

32.42%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$50.6 $50.6

36.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.7 $64.7

32.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$29.74 $29.74

157.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$8.50 $8.50

317.65%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.07 $13.07

37.87%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,481 $1,481

85.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$28.1K $28.1K

8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$41.01 $41.01

93.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.23 $40.23

35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$82.1 $82.1

54.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$110 $110

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,444 $1,444

73.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,153 $1,153

68.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,660 $2,660

92.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,132 $2,132

66.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,631 $2,631

180.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,949 $1,949

156.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,256 $4,256

52.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.31

9.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2% 40.5% $785

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7% 34.2% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2% 24.9% $115

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6% 30.2% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5% 34.8% $66

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5% 5.6% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3% 50.3% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. 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 52% 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $68 in Saint Paul, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $360 – making Saint Paul, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🕒 Local time

21:27 9:27 PM

23:27 11:27 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

285,068

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Saint Paul, MN 2,250 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,667 in Saint Paul, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,444 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $68 in Saint Paul, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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