Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Sioux City, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,173 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Sioux City, IA

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 Sioux City, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,173 in Sioux City, IA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Sioux City, IA $2,173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,286 in Sioux City, IA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Sioux City, IA $3,286

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,398 in Sioux City, IA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Sioux City, IA $4,398

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 74% more expensive than in Sioux City, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Sioux City, IA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.24 $20.24

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$54.9 $54.9

83.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.43 $10.43

41.51%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.15 $6.15

5.69%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.19 $2.19

46.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.72 $1.72

82.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.87 $4.87

63.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.73 $5.73

41.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.87 $0.87

34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.88 $2.88

84.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.40 $3.40

88.24%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.52 $3.52

43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$7.97 $7.97

134.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$7.84 $7.84

138.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.86 $16.86

35.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.66 $4.66

30.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.53 $1.53

27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.02 $4.02

37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.17 $4.17

56.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.91 $1.91

82.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.71 $4.71

-30.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.34 $2.34

19.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.13 $2.13

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.22 $9.22

35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.72 $14.72

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.76 $1.76

138.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.99 $2.99

93.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.77 $1.77

72.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$48.59 $48.59

118.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.04 $2.04

26.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.21 $1.21

35.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$19.99 $19.99

50.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.86 $0.86

63.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

39.82%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

3.95%

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

$308 $308

$167 $167

84.31%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$52.3 $52.3

32.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$69.8 $69.8

23.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$101 $101

-24.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$20.21 $20.21

75.66%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$9.88 $9.88

82.39%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,063 $1,063

158.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$12.0K $12.0K

154.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$42.83 $42.83

84.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$21.14 $21.14

156.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$79.0 $79.0

60.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$88.8 $88.8

79.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$944 $944

165.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$934 $934

107.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,478 $1,478

246.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,722 $1,722

105.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,622 $1,622

354.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,604 $1,604

211.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,696 $3,696

75.07%

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 Sioux City, IA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Sioux City, IA

$934 43% 51.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8% 37.4% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Sioux City, IA

$289 13.3% 37.6% $174

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Sioux City, IA

$319 14.7% 21.6% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8% 44.7% $84

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Sioux City, IA

$64 2.9% 50.6% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Sioux City, IA

$121 5.6% 7.3% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $944 in Sioux City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 75% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $55 in Sioux City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $342 per month, with Sioux City, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🕒 Local time

12:37 12:37 PM

14:37 2:37 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

85,797

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Sioux City, IA 2,100 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Sioux City, IA

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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 Sioux City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA is about 43% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% 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 $944 in Sioux City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sioux City, IA – a meal for two runs $55 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 $2,173 in Sioux City, IA – Sioux City, IA is about 43% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,173 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.