Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St. Cloud, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St. Cloud, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,445 in St. Cloud, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,544 in St. Cloud, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,643 in St. Cloud, MN.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than St. Cloud, MN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, St. Cloud, MN 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$18.11 $18.11

36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$65.4 $65.4

80.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$9.93 $9.93

38.67%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.26 $5.26

8.56%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.79 $2.79

9.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.46 $2.46

1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.93 $5.93

32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.81 $6.81

15.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.75 $0.75

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.72 $2.72

86.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.38 $3.38

59.47%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$2.20 $2.20

211.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$4.92 $4.92

409.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$9.65 $9.65

64.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$14.41 $14.41

42.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.95 $3.95

55.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.21 $1.21

133.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.38 $3.38

63.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.22 $2.22

203.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$0.78 $0.78

303.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.60 $1.60

138.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.05 $2.05

31.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.83 $1.83

44.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$10.19 $10.19

14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$11.97 $11.97

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.69 $1.69

73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.57 $4.57

-7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.05 $2.05

37.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.02 $5.02

-48.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.41 $1.41

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$28.99 $28.99

4.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.82 $0.82

45.12%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

-8.61%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

3.23%

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

$263 $263

$221 $221

18.72%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$48.21 $48.21

26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$50.2 $50.2

51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.57 $42.57

86.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$13.89 $13.89

17.13%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,468 $1,468

55.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$29.4K $29.4K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$38.87 $38.87

76.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$42.61 $42.61

21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$85.2 $85.2

35.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$128 $128

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,585 $1,585

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,351 $1,351

37.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,606 $2,606

77.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,190 $2,190

58.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,946 $2,946

163.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,175 $2,175

140.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,075 $6,075

8.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.43

-0.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for St. Cloud, MN: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,585 in St. Cloud, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 9% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $65.0 in St. Cloud, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $292 per month, with St. Cloud, MN cheaper across the board.

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. Cloud, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Cloud, MN is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seattle, WA pays 9% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,585 in St. Cloud, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,468 in St. Cloud, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Cloud, MN – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. St. Cloud, MN is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, St. Cloud, MN 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 St. Cloud, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.