Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Stillwater, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Stillwater, MN: $2,847 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Stillwater, MN
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Stillwater, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Stillwater, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,847

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Stillwater, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,847 in Stillwater, MN.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Stillwater, MN $2,847

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,046 in Stillwater, MN.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Stillwater, MN $4,046

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,246 in Stillwater, MN.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Stillwater, MN $5,246

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 33% more expensive than in Stillwater, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Stillwater, MN 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.58 $17.58

43.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$82.1 $82.1

22.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.92 $11.92

23.83%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.59 $5.59

16.28%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.10 $3.10

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.28 $2.28

37.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.94 $6.94

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.18 $8.18

-0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.85 $0.85

37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.65 $3.65

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.43 $6.43

-0.47%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.73 $3.73

35.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.44 $10.44

79.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.77 $13.77

35.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.20 $19.20

19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.52 $4.52

34.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.81 $1.81

7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.58 $4.58

20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.10 $5.10

27.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.53 $4.53

-22.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.27 $4.27

-22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.24 $2.24

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.65 $2.65

-2.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.96 $12.96

-3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.78 $15.78

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.80 $2.80

49.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.67 $5.67

2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$83.3 $83.3

27.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.05 $5.05

-48.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.74 $1.74

-5.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.35 $24.35

23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.97 $0.97

45.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$30.4K $30.4K

21.11%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.96%

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

$308 $308

$134 $134

129.25%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.7 $54.7

26.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.8 $68.8

25.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$127 $127

-40.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$34.30 $34.30

3.50%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.26 $15.26

18.09%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,310 $1,310

109.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$36.7K $36.7K

-16.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$57.0 $57.0

38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.20 $44.20

22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$91.5 $91.5

38.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$51.0 $51.0

211.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,466 $1,466

71.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,468 $1,468

32.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,296 $2,296

122.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,104 $2,104

68.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,982 $2,982

147.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,971 $2,971

68.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,874 $6,874

-5.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.6

4.39%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Stillwater, MN: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Stillwater, MN

$1.5K 51.6% 24.3% $471

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Stillwater, MN

$441 15.5% 19.5% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Stillwater, MN

$258 9.1% 44.3% $205

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Stillwater, MN

$316 11.1% 22.2% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Stillwater, MN

$110 3.9% 41.9% $79

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Stillwater, MN

$97 * 3.4% 24.8% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Stillwater, MN

$158 5.6% 40.4% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,466 in Stillwater, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stillwater, MN pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $82 in Stillwater, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $441 per month, with Stillwater, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Stillwater, MN

🕒 Local time

14:17 2:17 PM

16:17 4:17 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

44,818

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Stillwater, MN 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs Stillwater, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stillwater, MN is about 25% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Seattle, WA. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,466 in Stillwater, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Stillwater, MN – a meal for two runs $82 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,847 in Stillwater, MN – Stillwater, MN is about 25% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Stillwater, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.