Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Somerset, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Somerset, KY: $1,661 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Somerset, KY
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Somerset, KY Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Somerset, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Somerset, KY

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 Somerset, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $1,661 in Somerset, KY.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Somerset, KY $1,661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $2,530 in Somerset, KY.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Somerset, KY $2,530

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $3,400 in Somerset, KY.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Somerset, KY $3,400

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 127% more expensive than in Somerset, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Somerset, KY 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$15.20 $15.20

56.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$55.1 $55.1

78.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.42 $8.42

77.43%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$3.95 $3.95

71.90%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.28 $2.28

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.64 $1.64

92.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.42 $3.42

140.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.90 $3.90

101.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.89 $0.89

31.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.78 $2.78

90.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.95 $3.95

45.82%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.12 $4.12

18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$6.79 $6.79

198.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$8.74 $8.74

105.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$13.05 $13.05

78.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.64 $5.64

5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.23 $1.23

53.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.43 $4.43

20.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.76 $4.76

38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.66 $2.66

27.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.31 $3.31

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.98 $1.98

45.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.48 $1.48

64.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$6.16 $6.16

97.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.84 $11.84

28.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.06 $2.06

112.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.53 $1.53

284.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.74 $1.74

70.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$63.1 $63.1

73.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.74 $3.74

-32.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.27 $1.27

35.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$25.13 $25.13

18.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.93 $0.93

62.37%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$25.4K $25.4K

42.51%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

-2.29%

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

$289 $289

$149 $149

93.96%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$79.7 $79.7

-13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$71.1 $71.1

19.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$40.18 $40.18

72.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$8.08 $8.08

122.40%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$661 $661

326.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$24.9K $24.9K

76.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$24.77 $24.77

268.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$29.43 $29.43

87.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$55.5 $55.5

129.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$98.7 $98.7

64.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$620 $620

316.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$569 $569

241.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$1,059 $1,059

381.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,029 $1,029

244.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,840 $2,840

159.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,341 $2,341

110.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,578 $4,578

40.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

36.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Somerset, KY: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Somerset, KY

$569 34.3% 70.7% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Somerset, KY

$327 19.7% 39.9% $217

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Somerset, KY

$300 18% 32.3% $143

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Somerset, KY

$235 14.1% 41.2% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Somerset, KY

$94 5.7% 52.1% $102

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Somerset, KY

$80 4.8% 39.4% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Somerset, KY

$56 3.4% 46.5% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $620 in Somerset, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 41% 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: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $55 in Somerset, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $327 per month, with Somerset, KY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Somerset, KY

🕒 Local time

12:36 12:36 PM

15:36 3:36 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

11,924

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Somerset, KY 3,270 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Somerset, KY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Somerset, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset, KY is about 56% 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 41% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $620 in Somerset, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset, KY – a meal for two runs $55 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $1,661 in Somerset, KY – Somerset, KY is about 56% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,661 in Somerset, KY versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Somerset, KY but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset, KY 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 Somerset, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.