Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Southampton, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Southampton, NY: $2,919 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Southampton, NY, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Southampton, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,919
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Southampton, NY

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 Southampton, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,919 in Southampton, NY.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Southampton, NY $2,919

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,134 in Southampton, NY.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Southampton, NY $4,134

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,349 in Southampton, NY.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Southampton, NY $5,349

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 30% more expensive than in Southampton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Southampton, NY 114% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$24.92 $24.92
1.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$101 $101
0.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$11.22 $11.22
31.55%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$5.41 $5.41
20.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$2.12 $2.12
51.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.53 $1.53
105.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$8.10 $8.10
-1.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$7.77 $7.77
4.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.27 $1.27
-7.87%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$4.33 $4.33
22.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$7.55 $7.55
-15.23%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$5.90 $5.90
-14.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$12.50 $12.50
49.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$11.75 $11.75
59.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$17.37 $17.37
31.72%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$5.48 $5.48
10.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.78 $1.78
9.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$6.18 $6.18
-10.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$6.11 $6.11
6.71%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$5.59 $5.59
-37.57%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$3.86 $3.86
-14.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.79 $2.79
0.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.81 $2.81
-8.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$11.47 $11.47
8.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$24.03 $24.03
-38.12%
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
$5.38 $5.38
7.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$1.71 $1.71
78.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$51.0 $51.0
107.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.94 $2.94
-12.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.99 $1.99
-17.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$23.61 $23.61
27.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.07 $1.07
31.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$27.7K $27.7K
32.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$25.8K $25.8K
3.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$211 $211
45.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$75.6 $75.6
-8.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$58.9 $58.9
46.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$40.20 $40.20
90.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$14.31 $14.31
25.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$2,495 $2,495
10.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$23.4K $23.4K
30.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$40.84 $40.84
93.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$56.4 $56.4
-3.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$76.2 $76.2
66.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$157 $157
1.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$1,587 $1,587
58.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$1,428 $1,428
35.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$2,476 $2,476
106.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$1,954 $1,954
81.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$2,828 $2,828
160.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$2,385 $2,385
109.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Southampton, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.75
2.07%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Southampton, NY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Southampton, NY
$1.4K 26.4% $511
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Southampton, NY
$488 10.7% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Southampton, NY
$346 25.3% $117
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Southampton, NY
$369 9.3% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Southampton, NY
$149 21.1% $40
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Southampton, NY
$71 45.1% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Southampton, NY
$69 38.8% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,587 in Southampton, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Southampton, NY. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $488, with Southampton, NY cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Southampton, NY
🕒 Local time
15:23 3:23 PM
18:23 6:23 PM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
69,036
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Southampton, NY 3,980 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Southampton, NY

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 Southampton, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southampton, NY cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Southampton, NY is about 23% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $4,378 in Southampton, NY to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Seattle, WA and Southampton, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,587 in Southampton, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $2,495 in Southampton, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Southampton, NY runs roughly 52% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Seattle, WA or in Southampton, NY?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Southampton, NY is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Seattle, WA or in Southampton, NY?
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.

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