Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Suffolk, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Suffolk, VA: $2,204 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Suffolk, VA
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Suffolk, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Suffolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Suffolk, VA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,204 in Suffolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Suffolk, VA $2,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,210 in Suffolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Suffolk, VA $3,210

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,215 in Suffolk, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Suffolk, VA $4,215

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 72% more expensive than in Suffolk, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Suffolk, VA 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.92 $19.92

23.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$80.2 $80.2

22.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.96 $11.96

23.66%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.48 $4.48

45.54%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.06 $2.06

56.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.95 $1.95

62.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.05 $4.05

93.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.15 $5.15

55.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.07 $1.07

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.32 $2.32

121.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.55 $2.55

137.25%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.87 $3.87

26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$16.37 $16.37

17.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$5.41 $5.41

249.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.81 $17.81

30.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.06 $4.06

47.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.09 $1.09

77.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$1.99 $1.99

163.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.36 $4.36

50.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.66 $2.66

36.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.12 $2.12

56.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.66 $1.66

67.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.08 $3.08

-18.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.44 $9.44

29.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.79 $14.79

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.78 $1.78

137.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.69 $3.69

56.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.09 $4.09

-35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.99 $1.99

-13.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$25.34 $25.34

17.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.89 $0.89

67.42%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.7K $30.7K

16.98%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.90%

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

$302 $302

$150 $150

101.00%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$53.8 $53.8

30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$79.5 $79.5

7.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.15 $15.15

17.76%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$886 $886

235.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.14 $47.14

62.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$47.88 $47.88

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$102 $102

25.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$133 $133

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,206 $1,206

102.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,085 $1,085

79.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,054 $2,054

131.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,667 $1,667

108.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,706 $4,706

38.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

5.68

21.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Suffolk, VA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Suffolk, VA

$1.1K 49.2% 44.2% $861

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Suffolk, VA

$347 15.8% 36.3% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Suffolk, VA

$283 12.9% 38% $174

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Suffolk, VA

$296 13.4% 26.1% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Suffolk, VA

$148 6.7% 22.1% $42

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Suffolk, VA

$14 * 0.6% 89.1% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Suffolk, VA

$30 * 1.4% 73.3% $83

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 $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,206 in Suffolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 38% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Suffolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $347 per month, with Suffolk, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Suffolk, VA

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

22:26 10:26 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

94,324

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Suffolk, VA 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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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 Suffolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suffolk, VA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,206 in Suffolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $886 in Suffolk, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Suffolk, VA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,204 in Suffolk, VA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Suffolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Suffolk, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Suffolk, VA 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 Suffolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.