Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and South Portland, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in South Portland, ME: $3,083 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
Learn more

South Portland, ME Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,083

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in South Portland, ME

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 South Portland, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $3,083 in South Portland, ME.

Seattle, WA $3,762
South Portland, ME $3,083

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $4,598 in South Portland, ME.

Seattle, WA $5,651
South Portland, ME $4,598

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $6,113 in South Portland, ME.

Seattle, WA $7,541
South Portland, ME $6,113

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 22% more expensive than in South Portland, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, South Portland, ME 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$25.11 $25.11

-5.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$119 $119

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$14.81 $14.81

0.88%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.36 $5.36

26.68%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.01 $3.01

7.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.35 $2.35

34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.11 $8.11

1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.85 $7.85

0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.08 $1.08

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.60 $4.60

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$7.09 $7.09

-18.76%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.05 $4.05

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$15.82 $15.82

28.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$10.27 $10.27

74.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.92 $15.92

46.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.81 $4.81

23.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.70 $1.70

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.55 $5.55

-3.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$7.67 $7.67

-14.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.36 $4.36

-22.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.64 $3.64

-20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.03 $3.03

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.61 $2.61

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.12 $12.12

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.01 $15.01

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.96 $1.96

123.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.59 $2.59

127.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.07 $2.07

43.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$57.1 $57.1

91.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.55 $2.55

-1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.77 $1.77

-2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$28.48 $28.48

4.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.15 $1.15

31.30%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.2K $27.2K

32.82%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

-0.83%

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

$289 $289

$234 $234

23.34%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$68.1 $68.1

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$77.9 $77.9

8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$39.73 $39.73

74.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$29.99 $29.99

16.87%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$15.04 $15.04

19.48%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$407 $407

592.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

61.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$51.7 $51.7

76.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$49.39 $49.39

11.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$104 $104

22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$131 $131

23.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,926 $1,926

33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,567 $1,567

24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$3,164 $3,164

61.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,599 $2,599

36.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,781 $2,781

164.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,340 $2,340

110.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$4,216 $4,216

52.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.65

2.26%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for South Portland, ME: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

South Portland, ME

$1.6K 50.8% 19.4% $376

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

South Portland, ME

$451 14.6% 17% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

South Portland, ME

$380 12.3% 14.1% $63

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

South Portland, ME

$387 12.6% 2.9% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

South Portland, ME

$151 4.9% 22.8% $45

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

South Portland, ME

$77 2.5% 41.9% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3% 33.8% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,926 in South Portland, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 53% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $119 in South Portland, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $544 vs $451, with South Portland, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

16:52 4:52 PM

19:52 7:52 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

26,498

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA South Portland, ME 4,000 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
South Portland, ME

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 South Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Portland, ME is about 18% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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 $1,926 in South Portland, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $99 versus $119 in South Portland, ME. 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 $3,083 in South Portland, ME – South Portland, ME is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. South Portland, ME 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.

It comes down to priorities – South Portland, ME wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.