Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, MA: $3,554 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
171

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,554

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Salem, MA

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 Salem, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,554 in Salem, MA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Salem, MA $3,554

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,918 in Salem, MA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Salem, MA $4,918

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $6,282 in Salem, MA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Salem, MA $6,282

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 6% more expensive than in Salem, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Salem, MA 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.21 $25.21

0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.89 $10.89

35.54%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.95 $4.95

31.31%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.48 $2.48

29.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.13 $2.13

47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.90 $7.90

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.01 $7.01

15.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.61 $3.61

46.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.43 $4.43

44.47%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.43 $4.43

14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.51 $12.51

49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.34 $11.34

65.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.95 $16.95

34.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.71 $4.71

28.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.58 $1.58

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.40 $4.40

25.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.68 $4.68

39.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.79 $2.79

25.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.51 $2.51

11.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.20 $2.20

17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.56 $9.56

30.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.25 $15.25

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.22 $2.22

88.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.35 $3.35

73.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.24 $2.24

36.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.6 $59.6

77.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.47 $3.47

-25.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.78 $1.78

-7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$26.75 $26.75

12.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.88 $0.88

60.23%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.5K $24.5K

50.23%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$22.9K $22.9K

16.21%

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

$308 $308

$193 $193

59.47%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.4 $58.4

18.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$65.7 $65.7

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$42.42 $42.42

80.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.78 $14.78

21.92%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,423 $1,423

93.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$21.9K $21.9K

39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$85.3 $85.3

-7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$57.1 $57.1

-4.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$97.7 $97.7

29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$98.3 $98.3

61.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,353 $2,353

6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,164 $2,164

-10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,963 $3,963

29.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,088 $3,088

14.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,802 $2,802

163.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,303 $2,303

117.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$9,667 $9,667

-33.07%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Salem, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Salem, MA

$2.2K 60.9% 11.6% $226

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Salem, MA

$402 11.3% 26.5% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Salem, MA

$317 8.9% 31.5% $146

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Salem, MA

$366 10.3% 10% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Salem, MA

$152 4.3% 19.3% $36

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Salem, MA

$81 2.3% 37.2% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Salem, MA

$72 2% 36% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,353 in Salem, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Salem, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $402, with Salem, MA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🕒 Local time

23:52 11:52 PM

02:52 2:52 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

155,469

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Salem, MA 4,000 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Salem, MA

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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, salaries run 33% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,353 in Salem, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,423 in Salem, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Salem, MA runs roughly 44% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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 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.