Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and SeaTac, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in SeaTac, WA: $3,170 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 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
154

Cost of Living Index in SeaTac, WA
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SeaTac, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

SeaTac, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,170

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in SeaTac, WA

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 SeaTac, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,170 in SeaTac, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
SeaTac, WA $3,170

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,514 in SeaTac, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
SeaTac, WA $4,514

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,857 in SeaTac, WA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
SeaTac, WA $5,857

Seattle, WA costs about 19% more than SeaTac, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Seattle, WA and SeaTac, WA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, SeaTac, WA by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.05 $25.05

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.9 $78.9

27.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.22 $12.22

20.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.68 $5.68

14.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.14 $3.14

2.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.08 $2.08

50.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.93 $3.93

102.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.04 $6.04

34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.14 $1.14

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.21 $4.21

25.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.39 $3.39

88.79%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$7.20 $7.20

-29.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.94 $14.94

25.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.86 $13.86

35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.97 $17.97

27.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.63 $5.63

7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.74 $1.74

12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.18 $4.18

31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.66 $4.66

39.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.23 $2.23

56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.75 $1.75

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.18 $3.18

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.19 $12.19

2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.20 $18.20

-18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.04 $2.04

184.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.69 $2.69

13.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$88.9 $88.9

19.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.56 $2.56

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.70 $1.70

-3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.54 $29.54

1.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.45 $1.45

-2.76%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.6K $28.6K

28.66%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.80%

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

$308 $308

$232 $232

32.52%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$63.6 $63.6

8.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$84.6 $84.6

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$34.33 $34.33

122.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$19.73 $19.73

79.93%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.36 $17.36

3.80%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,083 $2,083

31.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.6K $31.6K

-3.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$48.65 $48.65

62.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$22.60 $22.60

140.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$62.7 $62.7

102.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$45.68 $45.68

247.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,208 $2,208

13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,722 $1,722

12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,873 $3,873

32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,683 $2,683

32.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,064 $4,064

81.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,821 $3,821

30.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,075 $6,075

6.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.55

5.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for SeaTac, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

SeaTac, WA

$1.7K 54.3% 11.2% $216

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

SeaTac, WA

$449 14.2% 17.9% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

SeaTac, WA

$380 12% 17.8% $82

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

SeaTac, WA

$358 11.3% 11.9% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

SeaTac, WA

$81 2.6% 57.2% $108

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

SeaTac, WA

$111 3.5% 14.1% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

SeaTac, WA

$69 2.2% 38.6% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,208 in SeaTac, WA. 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 6% 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 $79 in SeaTac, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $449 – making SeaTac, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 SeaTac, WA

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

31,454

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 SeaTac, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA, $3,170 in SeaTac, WA – SeaTac, WA comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,755 in SeaTac, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in SeaTac, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,208 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 16% less in SeaTac, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,083 in SeaTac, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,170 in SeaTac, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward SeaTac, WA – 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 SeaTac, WA. 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.