Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in St. Thomas: $2,432 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,800
/mo nomad
St. Thomas
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,432
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $2,432 in St. Thomas.

  • Seattle, WA $3,800
  • St. Thomas $2,432

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $3,274 in St. Thomas.

  • Seattle, WA $5,702
  • St. Thomas $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $4,117 in St. Thomas.

  • Seattle, WA $7,603
  • St. Thomas $4,117

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 56% more expensive than in St. Thomas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, St. Thomas 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.32 $25.32
$21.05 CA$29.92
20.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$62.6 CA$89.0
62.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.85 $14.85
$11.38 CA$16.18
30.49%
Cappuccino
$6.59 $6.59
$3.32 CA$4.71
98.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 $3.22
$2.19 CA$3.12
47.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.59 CA$2.25
97.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.18 $8.18
$5.02 CA$7.14
62.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.03 $8.03
$5.89 CA$8.37
36.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$2.08 CA$2.96
-41.83%
White Bread (500g)
$5.12 $5.12
$2.61 CA$3.70
96.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.30 $6.30
$3.73 CA$5.30
68.90%
Eggs
$4.90 $4.90
$3.09 CA$4.39
58.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.10 $19.10
$9.94 CA$14.13
92.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.50 $18.50
$15.43 CA$21.92
19.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.03 $23.03
$19.20 CA$27.29
19.95%
Apples (1kg)
$5.81 $5.81
$3.86 CA$5.49
50.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.24 CA$1.76
57.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.29 $5.29
$3.49 CA$4.97
51.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.48 $6.48
$3.97 CA$5.64
63.22%
Potato (1kg)
$3.57 $3.57
$3.36 CA$4.78
6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 $3.15
$3.07 CA$4.36
2.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 $2.85
$2.85 CA$4.06
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$1.46 CA$2.07
65.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.75 $12.75
$10.98 CA$15.61
16.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.99 $14.99
$12.74 CA$18.10
17.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.17 $4.17
$2.40 CA$3.41
73.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 $5.99
$2.78 CA$3.95
115.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.25 CA$3.20
35.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$110 $110
$58.7 CA$83.4
87.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 $2.55
$2.30 CA$3.27
10.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.62 CA$2.30
1.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.58 $29.58
$21.70 CA$30.85
36.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.13 CA$1.60
25.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K $35.7K
$28.0K CA$39.8K
27.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$19.7K CA$28.0K
29.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$299 $299
$123 CA$175
142.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.8 $70.8
$42.76 CA$60.8
65.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.3 $88.3
$55.5 CA$78.8
59.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$79.5 $79.5
$44.43 CA$63.1
78.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.37 $35.37
$20.32 CA$28.87
74.06%
Cinema Ticket
$17.12 $17.12
$10.33 CA$14.69
65.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,013 $3,013
$399 CA$567
655.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.6K $31.6K
$16.7K CA$23.7K
89.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.2 $77.2
$53.5 CA$76.1
44.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 $55.1
$35.84 CA$50.9
53.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 $126
$82.2 CA$117
52.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 $163
$90.6 CA$129
79.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,464 $2,464
$1,148 CA$1,631
114.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,956 $1,956
$1,267 CA$1,801
54.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,711 $4,711
$1,794 CA$2,550
162.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,550 $3,550
$1,470 CA$2,089
141.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,346 $7,346
$4,187 CA$5,951
75.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,048 $5,048
$3,561 CA$5,061
41.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
St. Thomas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,286 $6,286
$2,970 CA$4,221
111.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
4.99
37.27%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$2K
St. Thomas
$1.3K 35.2% $689
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$542
St. Thomas
$387 28.5% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$458
St. Thomas
$222 51.6% $237
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$409
St. Thomas
$294 27.9% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
St. Thomas
$118 37.7% $71
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$133
St. Thomas
$78 41.3% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$114
St. Thomas
$65 42.8% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,148 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 112% 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 $63.0 in St. Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $387 per month, with St. Thomas cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇨🇦 St. Thomas
🕒 Local time
22:47 10:47 PM
01:47 1:47 AM
3 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
38,909
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA St. Thomas 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • St. Thomas

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. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Thomas cheaper than Seattle, WA?
St. Thomas is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Seattle, WA or St. Thomas?
Average pay runs 112% 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. Thomas?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,148 in St. Thomas. 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. Thomas?
Dining out is cheaper in St. Thomas – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $101 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. Thomas?
All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,432 in St. Thomas – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Seattle, WA or in St. Thomas?
At $2,432 in St. Thomas versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in St. Thomas but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes St. Thomas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Seattle, WA or St. Thomas more family-friendly?
For families, St. Thomas 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. Thomas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% 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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