Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Silver Spring, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Silver Spring, MD: $2,701 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Silver Spring, MD
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Silver Spring, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Silver Spring, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Silver Spring, MD

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 Silver Spring, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Silver Spring, MD $2,701

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,945 in Silver Spring, MD.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Silver Spring, MD $3,945

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,190 in Silver Spring, MD.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Silver Spring, MD $5,190

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 40% more expensive than in Silver Spring, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Silver Spring, MD 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$13.30 $13.30

90.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$89.1 $89.1

13.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$7.38 $7.38

100.00%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.92 $5.92

9.80%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.83 $2.83

13.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.47 $2.47

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.80 $7.80

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.41 $8.41

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.20 $1.20

-2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.41 $4.41

20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.32 $5.32

20.30%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.07 $5.07

-0.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.40 $16.40

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.44 $15.44

21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.22 $19.22

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.82 $4.82

25.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.61 $4.61

19.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.23 $5.23

24.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.94 $2.94

18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.08 $2.08

58.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.11 $2.11

32.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.68 $2.68

-3.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.52 $9.52

31.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.02 $15.02

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.71 $1.71

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.78 $2.78

108.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.91 $3.91

-21.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$87.7 $87.7

20.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.91 $3.91

-34.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.21 $1.21

35.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$25.03 $25.03

20.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

33.96%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.15%

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

$308 $308

$153 $153

101.38%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$48.89 $48.89

41.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$62.0 $62.0

38.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$26.12 $26.12

192.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$21.62 $21.62

64.20%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$16.45 $16.45

9.54%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,901 $1,901

44.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$46.59 $46.59

69.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$36.93 $36.93

47.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$101 $101

25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

31.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,884 $1,884

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,393 $1,393

39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,859 $3,859

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,154 $2,154

64.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,239 $4,239

73.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,104 $3,104

61.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,138 $5,138

25.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.72

2.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Silver Spring, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Silver Spring, MD

$1.4K 51.6% 28.2% $546

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Silver Spring, MD

$458 17% 16.3% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Silver Spring, MD

$264 9.8% 43% $199

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Silver Spring, MD

$277 10.2% 31.9% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Silver Spring, MD

$137 5.1% 27.1% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Silver Spring, MD

$113 4.2% 12.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Silver Spring, MD

$59 2.2% 47.5% $53

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,884 in Silver Spring, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $89 in Silver Spring, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $458 per month, with Silver Spring, MD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Silver Spring, MD

🕒 Local time

01:35 1:35 AM

04:35 4:35 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

71,452

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Silver Spring, MD 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Silver Spring, MD

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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 Silver Spring, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Silver Spring, MD is about 29% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,884 in Silver Spring, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Silver Spring, MD – a meal for two runs $89 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD – Silver Spring, MD is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Silver Spring, MD 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.

Expats usually find Silver Spring, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.