Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Salem, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Salem, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,634 in Seattle, WA versus $3,425 in Salem, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,545 in Seattle, WA versus $4,775 in Salem, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,456 in Seattle, WA versus $6,125 in Salem, MA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 6% more expensive than Salem, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Salem, MA 155% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$25.45 $25.45

-2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$101 $101

17.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$10.90 $10.90

26.42%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$5.02 $5.02

11.75%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.46 $2.46

17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.20 $2.20

11.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$7.79 $7.79

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.92 $6.92

18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.24 $1.24

12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.30 $4.30

13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$8.92 $8.92

-42.15%

Eggs

$6.61 $6.61

$4.24 $4.24

55.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 $25.06

$14.45 $14.45

73.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$14.29 $14.29

10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 $20.32

$9.04 $9.04

124.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.55 $4.55

36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.33 $1.33

106.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$3.35 $3.35

59.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$4.69 $4.69

38.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.36 $4.36

-29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.42 $2.42

59.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.44 $2.44

12.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.51 $3.51

-27.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.35 $11.35

$9.72 $9.72

16.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 $15.48

$12.74 $12.74

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.76 $1.76

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$7.12 $7.12

-40.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.46 $2.46

9.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$54.3 $54.3

80.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.57 $3.57

-28.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.58 $1.58

8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.17 $30.17

$29.70 $29.70

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.04 $1.04

10.58%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

12.49%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.50%

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

$263 $263

$172 $172

52.91%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$90.4 $90.4

-33.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$84.2 $84.2

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 $80.6

$42.70 $42.70

88.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 $15.91

$14.79 $14.79

7.57%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,286 $1,286

77.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$23.2K $23.2K

28.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$71.7 $71.7

-2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$57.2 $57.2

-5.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$97.3 $97.3

22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$101 $101

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 $2,312

$2,351 $2,351

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$2,001 $2,001

-8.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,694 $4,694

$3,819 $3,819

22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

$2,845 $2,845

22.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,154 $8,154

$2,685 $2,685

203.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,200 $5,200

$2,380 $2,380

118.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,564 $6,564

$9,501 $9,501

-30.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.51

-1.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salem, MA: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,312 in Seattle, WA and $2,351 in Salem, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Salem, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $436 per month, with Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Salem, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Salem, MA earns 45% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,312 in Seattle, WA versus $2,351 in Salem, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,286 in Salem, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,425 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Salem, MA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Salem, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Salem, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.