Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, OR: $2,177 a month against $3,782 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, OR
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Springfield, OR Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Springfield, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,177

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,177 in Springfield, OR.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Springfield, OR $2,177

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,376 in Springfield, OR.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Springfield, OR $3,376

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,574 in Springfield, OR.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Springfield, OR $4,574

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Springfield, OR 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.78 $19.78

23.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$73.8 $73.8

33.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.89 $10.89

35.81%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.18 $5.18

25.87%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.80 $2.80

15.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.85 $1.85

71.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.83 $5.83

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.97 $5.97

34.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.07 $1.07

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.01 $4.01

28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.43 $5.43

11.42%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.62 $3.62

34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.81 $11.81

62.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.40 $10.40

81.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.37 $17.37

34.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.83 $3.83

56.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.57 $1.57

22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.19 $3.19

64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.45 $3.45

90.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.20 $2.20

64.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.11 $2.11

56.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.92 $1.92

44.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.94 $1.94

29.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.20 $12.20

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.41 $13.41

10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.76 $1.76

139.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.39 $4.39

31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.72 $1.72

71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$50.0 $50.0

112.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.42 $4.42

-40.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.72 $0.72

138.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$23.95 $23.95

24.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.26 $1.26

18.25%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

41.97%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.8K $24.8K

5.78%

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

$302 $302

$150 $150

100.57%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$45.49 $45.49

54.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$64.7 $64.7

31.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$29.75 $29.75

161.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.94 $13.94

27.98%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,213 $1,213

145.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$12.1K $12.1K

159.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.04 $49.04

56.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$45.46 $45.46

18.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$90.6 $90.6

41.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$104 $104

58.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,210 $1,210

102.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$980 $980

98.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,996 $1,996

137.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,882 $1,882

84.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$2,511 $2,511

159.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.69

2.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Springfield, OR: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Springfield, OR

$980 45% 49.7% $967

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Springfield, OR

$371 17.1% 32% $174

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Springfield, OR

$261 12% 43% $197

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Springfield, OR

$313 14.4% 21.7% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Springfield, OR

$130 6% 31.7% $60

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Springfield, OR

$65 3% 49.8% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Springfield, OR

$58 2.7% 49.2% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,210 in Springfield, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 159% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $74.0 in Springfield, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $371 per month, with Springfield, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Springfield, OR

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Springfield, OR 400 km

From you

Seattle, WA
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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 Springfield, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, OR is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 159% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,210 in Springfield, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Springfield, OR – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,177 in Springfield, OR – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,177 in Springfield, OR versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Springfield, OR but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Springfield, OR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Springfield, OR is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Springfield, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.