Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Surprise, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Surprise, AZ: $1,301 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $29,800 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
63

Cost of Living Index in Surprise, AZ
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Surprise, AZ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Surprise, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,301

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Surprise, AZ

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $1,301 in Surprise, AZ.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Surprise, AZ $1,301

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,613 in Surprise, AZ.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Surprise, AZ $3,613

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,926 in Surprise, AZ.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Surprise, AZ $5,926

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 191% more expensive than in Surprise, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seattle, WA is 179% above, Surprise, AZ is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.11 $20.11

21.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$86.5 $86.5

13.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$13.13 $13.13

12.64%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$6.18 $6.18

5.50%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.76 $2.76

17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.44 $2.44

29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.82 $6.82

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.14 $8.14

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.02 $1.02

18.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.68 $3.68

39.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.15 $5.15

17.48%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.70 $4.70

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.40 $13.40

43.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.35 $11.35

66.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.86 $14.86

56.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.63 $4.63

29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.95 $1.95

-1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.95 $3.95

32.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.15 $4.15

58.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.45 $2.45

47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.86 $2.86

15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.10 $2.10

32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.10 $2.10

19.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.84 $10.84

12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.46 $13.46

10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.42 $2.42

74.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.25 $3.25

77.54%

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

$2.78 $2.78

-4.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.36 $1.36

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$36.40 $36.40

-18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.09 $1.09

36.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.1K $36.1K

-0.59%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.36%

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

$302 $302

$195 $195

55.17%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$61.5 $61.5

13.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$73.7 $73.7

15.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$59.7 $59.7

30.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.17 $13.17

35.46%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,121 $1,121

165.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$15.8K $15.8K

98.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$54.1 $54.1

41.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.66 $43.66

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$97.3 $97.3

31.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$114 $114

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,107 $2,107

125.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$3,013 $3,013

15.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,645 $1,645

211.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,368 $4,368

48.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.44

6.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Surprise, AZ: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Surprise, AZ

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Surprise, AZ

$391 30.1% 28.3% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Surprise, AZ

$330 25.3% 27.9% $127

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Surprise, AZ

$346 26.6% 13.5% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Surprise, AZ

$139 10.7% 27% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Surprise, AZ

$9.6 * 0.7% 92.6% $120

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Surprise, AZ

$86 6.6% 24.3% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

Seattle, WA pays 49% 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 $87.0 in Surprise, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $391 per month, with Surprise, AZ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Surprise, AZ

🕒 Local time

00:37 12:37 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

143,148

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Surprise, AZ 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Surprise, AZ

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 Surprise, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surprise, AZ is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% 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.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,121 in Surprise, AZ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surprise, AZ – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,301 in Surprise, AZ versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surprise, AZ but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Surprise, AZ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surprise, AZ 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 Surprise, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.