Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Staten Island, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Staten Island, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $2,910 in Staten Island, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $4,526 in Staten Island, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $6,143 in Staten Island, NY.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 23% more expensive than Staten Island, NY, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Staten Island, NY 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$22.29 $22.29

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$98.5 $98.5

21.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.06 $12.06

15.26%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.93 $5.93

-6.24%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.31 $2.31

32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.54 $1.54

60.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$8.16 $8.16

-2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.83 $7.83

2.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.50 $1.50

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.65 $4.65

8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$8.03 $8.03

-33.25%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$6.47 $6.47

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$17.39 $17.39

45.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$13.15 $13.15

23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$20.06 $20.06

1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.51 $6.51

-8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.66 $2.66

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.91 $5.91

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$6.26 $6.26

5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.84 $3.84

-15.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$4.10 $4.10

-7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.74 $2.74

-0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.72 $2.72

-6.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$19.20 $19.20

-41.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$14.90 $14.90

9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.84 $1.84

54.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.87 $3.87

7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.87 $2.87

-6.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.04 $3.04

-10.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.23 $2.23

-22.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$42.12 $42.12

-30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$34.6K $34.6K

-2.84%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

-8.48%

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

$266 $266

$212 $212

25.54%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$59.7 $59.7

1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$63.8 $63.8

19.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$116 $116

-31.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$20.18 $20.18

-19.62%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$1,985 $1,985

14.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$16.1K $16.1K

83.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$66.1 $66.1

5.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$37.52 $37.52

40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$114 $114

4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$107 $107

34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,766 $1,766

34.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$1,422 $1,422

31.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$3,312 $3,312

42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$2,614 $2,614

34.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$5,999 $5,999

8.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.74

-4.75%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Staten Island, NY: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $1,766 in Staten Island, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 8% 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: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $98.0 in Staten Island, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $511 per month, with Staten Island, NY 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 Staten Island, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Staten Island, NY is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seattle, WA pays 8% 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: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $1,766 in Staten Island, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,280 in Seattle, WA versus $1,985 in Staten Island, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Staten Island, NY – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Staten Island, NY is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Staten Island, NY 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 Staten Island, NY 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 Staten Island, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.