Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Tacoma, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacoma, WA: $3,008 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 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
144

Cost of Living Index in Tacoma, WA
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Tacoma, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,008

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Tacoma, WA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,008 in Tacoma, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Tacoma, WA $3,008

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,371 in Tacoma, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Tacoma, WA $4,371

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,735 in Tacoma, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Tacoma, WA $5,735

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 26% more expensive than in Tacoma, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Tacoma, WA 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.28 $25.28

0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.9 $80.9

24.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.14 $12.14

21.58%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.61 $5.61

15.86%

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

$2.64 $2.64

18.94%

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

$6.92 $6.92

17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.20 $4.20

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.83 $5.83

9.78%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.69 $5.69

-11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.85 $15.85

18.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.91 $15.91

17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$23.45 $23.45

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.99 $4.99

21.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.74 $1.74

12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.32 $4.32

27.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.52 $4.52

44.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.69 $2.69

29.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.73 $1.73

61.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.26 $3.26

-20.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.05 $12.05

3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.35 $18.35

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.77 $1.77

136.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.99 $4.99

16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 $2.02

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$62.6 $62.6

69.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.55 $2.55

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 $1.69

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.77 $29.77

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.32 $1.32

6.82%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.2K $28.2K

30.32%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-2.04%

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

$308 $308

$230 $230

33.47%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$91.1 $91.1

-24.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$86.7 $86.7

-0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$36.12 $36.12

111.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$18.09 $18.09

96.24%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.97 $13.97

28.99%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,085 $2,085

31.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$32.6K $32.6K

-6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.9 $61.9

27.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.73 $44.73

21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$86.3 $86.3

46.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$130 $130

22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,735 $1,735

44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,444 $1,444

34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,699 $2,699

89.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,309 $2,309

53.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$4,794 $4,794

53.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,251 $3,251

53.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,927 $4,927

31.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tacoma, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 48% 25.5% $495

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Tacoma, WA

$487 16.2% 10.9% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Tacoma, WA

$408 13.6% 11.8% $55

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Tacoma, WA

$378 12.6% 7.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Tacoma, WA

$145 4.8% 23% $43

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Tacoma, WA

$82 2.7% 36.7% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Tacoma, WA

$64 2.1% 43.1% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,735 in Tacoma, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $81 in Tacoma, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $487 per month, with Tacoma, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🕒 Local time

19:27 7:27 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

219,346

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Tacoma, WA 41 km

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Seattle, WA
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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 Tacoma, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacoma, WA is about 21% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,735 in Tacoma, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacoma, WA – a meal for two runs $81 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 $3,008 in Tacoma, WA – Tacoma, WA is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

For families, Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.