Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Scranton, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,386 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Scranton, PA
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Scranton, PA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,386

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Scranton, PA

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 Scranton, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,386 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Scranton, PA $2,386

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,328 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Scranton, PA $3,328

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,270 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Scranton, PA $4,270

Seattle, WA costs about 59% more than Scranton, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Scranton, PA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Scranton, PA by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$11.79 $11.79

114.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$77.1 $77.1

30.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$6.01 $6.01

145.59%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.37 $4.37

48.74%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$1.52 $1.52

111.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.02 $1.02

207.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.71 $6.71

18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.69 $7.69

5.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.75 $0.75

56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.38 $1.38

284.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.13 $2.13

200.47%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.31 $3.31

52.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.91 $10.91

71.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.67 $8.67

115.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$11.19 $11.19

104.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.67 $3.67

65.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.28 $1.28

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.36 $3.36

63.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.46 $4.46

46.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.01 $3.01

15.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.24 $3.24

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.02 $2.02

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.03 $1.03

150.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.28 $9.28

34.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.04 $12.04

23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.93 $2.93

43.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.81 $4.81

20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.78 $1.78

71.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$60.6 $60.6

74.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.22 $3.22

-19.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.00 $2.00

-18.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.65 $24.65

22.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.09 $1.09

29.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

35.91%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.52%

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

$308 $308

$237 $237

29.93%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$39.88 $39.88

73.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$49.44 $49.44

74.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$24.90 $24.90

207.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$15.78 $15.78

124.97%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.20 $11.20

60.89%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$769 $769

257.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$17.8K $17.8K

71.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$45.86 $45.86

72.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$30.04 $30.04

80.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$73.8 $73.8

71.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$84.0 $84.0

89.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,274 $1,274

96.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,304 $1,304

48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,143 $2,143

138.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,880 $1,880

88.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,703 $1,703

333.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,421 $1,421

252.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,250 $3,250

99.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.67

3.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Scranton, PA

$1.3K 54.7% 32.7% $634

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Scranton, PA

$299 12.5% 45.4% $248

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Scranton, PA

$326 13.7% 29.5% $137

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Scranton, PA

$224 9.4% 44.9% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Scranton, PA

$105 4.4% 44.2% $83

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Scranton, PA

$81 3.4% 37.3% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Scranton, PA

$47 2% 58% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,274 in Scranton, PA. 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 99% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $77 in Scranton, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $299 – making Scranton, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Scranton, PA

🕒 Local time

14:35 2:35 PM

17:35 5:35 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

72,861

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Scranton, PA 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 59%, 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 $3,579 in Scranton, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scranton, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,274 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Scranton, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $769 in Scranton, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Scranton, PA – 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 Scranton, PA. 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.