Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Springfield, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, OH: $2,176 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, OH
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Springfield, OH Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Springfield, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,176

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Springfield, OH

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 Springfield, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,176 in Springfield, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Springfield, OH $2,176

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,069 in Springfield, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Springfield, OH $3,069

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $3,963 in Springfield, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Springfield, OH $3,963

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Springfield, OH 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.91 $14.91

69.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$69.7 $69.7

44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.95 $10.95

34.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.61 $5.61

15.86%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.73 $2.73

17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.54 $2.54

23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.08 $6.08

31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.98 $7.98

1.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.88 $0.88

32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.19 $2.19

142.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.15 $3.15

103.17%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.74 $3.74

35.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.50 $12.50

49.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.40 $12.40

50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.79 $15.79

44.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.71 $5.71

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.53 $1.53

27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.71 $4.71

16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.31 $4.31

51.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.47 $2.47

41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.86 $2.86

15.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.47 $2.47

13.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.56 $10.56

18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.51 $15.51

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.51 $1.51

177.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.58 $3.58

62.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.97 $0.97

214.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$35.48 $35.48

198.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 $2.05

25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 $1.69

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$34.59 $34.59

-12.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.96 $0.96

46.87%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$30.2K $30.2K

21.66%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.7K $23.7K

12.37%

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

$308 $308

$229 $229

34.29%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$61.8 $61.8

11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$64.8 $64.8

32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$28.23 $28.23

170.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.57 $13.57

32.79%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,788 $1,788

53.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.4K $24.4K

25.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$49.42 $49.42

60.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$20.28 $20.28

167.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$69.5 $69.5

82.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$69.1 $69.1

130.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,010 $1,010

148.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$952 $952

103.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,514 $1,514

238.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,328 $1,328

166.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,624 $1,624

354.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,675 $1,675

198.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,191 $4,191

54.39%

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 Springfield, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Springfield, OH

$952 43.8% 50.9% $986

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Springfield, OH

$383 17.6% 30.1% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Springfield, OH

$356 16.3% 23.1% $107

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Springfield, OH

$287 13.2% 29.4% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Springfield, OH

$94 4.3% 50.3% $95

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Springfield, OH

$50 2.3% 61.3% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Springfield, OH

$55 2.5% 50.8% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,010 in Springfield, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 54% 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 $70 in Springfield, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $383 per month, with Springfield, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Springfield, OH

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

01:09 1:09 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Springfield, OH 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Springfield, OH

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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 Springfield, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, OH is about 42% 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 54% 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 $1,010 in Springfield, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Springfield, OH – a meal for two runs $70 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 $2,176 in Springfield, OH – Springfield, OH is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,176 in Springfield, OH versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Springfield, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Springfield, OH 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 Springfield, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.