Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and St John

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $315 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $41,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,744 in Seattle, WA versus $315 in St John.

Seattle, WA $3,744
St John $315

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in Seattle, WA versus $928 in St John.

Seattle, WA $5,703
St John $928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,661 in Seattle, WA versus $1,540 in St John.

Seattle, WA $7,661
St John $1,540

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 1089% more expensive than in St John, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seattle, WA is 179% above, St John is 77% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$20.15 $20.15

21.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$174 $174

-42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$7.10 $7.10

-6.76%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$3.02 $3.02

7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.05 $2.05

51.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$8.16 $8.16

-4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$8.05 $8.05

-1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.57 $1.57

-7.01%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

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

$25.7K $25.7K

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

$299 $299

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

$69.7 $69.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

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

$2,986 $2,986

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$13.4K $13.4K

132.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$12.9K $12.9K

-42.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$5,080 $5,080

23.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

7.05

-2.84%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for St John: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

St John

–

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

St John

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

St John

–

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

St John

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

St John

–

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

St John

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

St John

–

Cost Breakdown

Seattle, WA pays 24% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $174 in St John for two.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇻🇮 St John

🕒 Local time

04:19 4:19 AM

07:19 7:19 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

2,743

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA St John 6,100 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
St John

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 John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 1089% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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.

Dining out is cheaper in St John – a meal for two runs $174 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,744 per month in Seattle, WA versus $315 in St John – a 1089% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $315 in St John versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes St John the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, St John 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and St John are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find St John gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1089% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.