Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St.Catharines

For one person, living is cheaper in St.Catharines: $2,309 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,782
/mo nomad
St.Catharines
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,309
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in St.Catharines

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,309 in St.Catharines.

  • Seattle, WA $3,782
  • St.Catharines $2,309

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,210 in St.Catharines.

  • Seattle, WA $5,636
  • St.Catharines $3,210

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,111 in St.Catharines.

  • Seattle, WA $7,489
  • St.Catharines $4,111

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 64% more expensive than in St.Catharines, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, St.Catharines 70% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.52 $24.52
$14.32 CA$20.24
71.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.2 $98.2
$57.6 CA$81.5
70.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.79 $14.79
$12.63 CA$17.86
17.10%
Cappuccino
$6.52 $6.52
$3.03 CA$4.29
115.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$1.65 CA$2.34
95.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 $3.17
$1.60 CA$2.27
98.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.85 $7.85
$4.65 CA$6.58
68.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.03 $8.03
$4.61 CA$6.52
74.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$2.09 CA$2.96
-42.11%
White Bread (500g)
$5.14 $5.14
$2.18 CA$3.08
135.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.05 $6.05
$4.60 CA$6.50
31.52%
Eggs
$4.88 $4.88
$4.28 CA$6.06
14.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.18 $19.18
$14.90 CA$21.06
28.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.91 $18.91
$11.22 CA$15.86
68.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.31 $23.31
$14.04 CA$19.85
66.03%
Apples (1kg)
$5.99 $5.99
$5.19 CA$7.34
15.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.11 CA$1.57
73.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.25 $5.25
$4.36 CA$6.17
20.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$4.14 CA$5.85
58.70%
Potato (1kg)
$3.62 $3.62
$2.82 CA$3.99
28.37%
Onion (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$4.39 CA$6.20
-24.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.60 CA$3.67
6.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.29 CA$1.83
94.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.18 $12.18
$13.73 CA$19.41
-11.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.83 $14.83
$12.65 CA$17.88
17.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.22 $4.22
$3.00 CA$4.24
40.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.77 $5.77
$3.02 CA$4.28
91.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.46 CA$3.48
19.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$70.9 CA$100
49.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.65 $2.65
$2.88 CA$4.07
-7.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.22 CA$3.14
-22.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.72 $29.72
$22.28 CA$31.50
33.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.15 CA$1.63
29.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K $35.9K
$26.4K CA$37.4K
35.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$22.0K CA$31.1K
19.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$302 $302
$178 CA$251
69.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.1 $70.1
$33.39 CA$47.21
110.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.3 $85.3
$47.75 CA$67.5
78.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.8 $77.8
$31.41 CA$44.41
147.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.58 $34.58
$41.10 CA$58.1
-15.86%
Cinema Ticket
$17.84 $17.84
$11.04 CA$15.60
61.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,973 $2,973
$504 CA$713
489.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.3K $31.3K
$27.6K CA$39.0K
13.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.6 $76.6
$73.6 CA$104
3.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.1 $54.1
$52.2 CA$73.8
3.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 $128
$80.1 CA$113
59.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164 $164
$76.7 CA$108
114.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,445 $2,445
$1,210 CA$1,710
102.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,947 $1,947
$1,159 CA$1,638
67.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,744 $4,744
$1,707 CA$2,413
177.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,469 $3,469
$1,557 CA$2,201
122.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,367 $7,367
$3,026 CA$4,277
143.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,127 $5,127
$2,705 CA$3,824
89.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
St.Catharines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,506 $6,506
$2,969 CA$4,198
119.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
5.71
20.67%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for St.Catharines: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
St.Catharines
$1.2K 40.5% $788
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$546
St.Catharines
$381 30.1% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$457
St.Catharines
$259 43.3% $198
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$400
St.Catharines
$234 41.4% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$190
St.Catharines
$127 33.2% $63
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
St.Catharines
$95 26.7% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$114
St.Catharines
$53 52.9% $60

Cost Breakdown

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

Seattle, WA pays 119% 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 $58.0 in St.Catharines for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $381 per month, with St.Catharines cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇨🇦 St.Catharines
🕒 Local time
01:07 1:07 AM
04:07 4:07 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
133,113
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA St.Catharines 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • St.Catharines

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 St.Catharines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St.Catharines cheaper than Seattle, WA?
St.Catharines is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Seattle, WA or St.Catharines?
Average pay runs 119% 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.
What is the rent difference between Seattle, WA and St.Catharines?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,210 in St.Catharines. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Seattle, WA or in St.Catharines?
Dining out is cheaper in St.Catharines – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Seattle, WA and in St.Catharines?
All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,309 in St.Catharines – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Seattle, WA or in St.Catharines?
At $2,309 in St.Catharines versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St.Catharines but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes St.Catharines the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Seattle, WA or St.Catharines more family-friendly?
For families, St.Catharines 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find St.Catharines gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Seattle, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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