Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tempe, AZ: $2,880 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Tempe, AZ
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Tempe, AZ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Tempe, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,880

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $2,880 in Tempe, AZ.

Seattle, WA $3,800
Tempe, AZ $2,880

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $3,836 in Tempe, AZ.

Seattle, WA $5,702
Tempe, AZ $3,836

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $4,792 in Tempe, AZ.

Seattle, WA $7,603
Tempe, AZ $4,792

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 32% more expensive than in Tempe, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Tempe, AZ 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.77 $19.77

28.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$81.6 $81.6

24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$13.17 $13.17

12.76%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.25 $5.25

25.52%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.10 $3.10

3.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.44 $2.44

28.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$6.01 $6.01

36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.17 $7.17

11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.97 $0.97

24.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.20 $4.20

21.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.19 $6.19

1.78%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.68 $4.68

4.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$13.65 $13.65

39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$13.44 $13.44

37.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$17.38 $17.38

32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.35 $5.35

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.97 $1.97

-1.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.12 $4.12

28.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.96 $4.96

30.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.53 $2.53

41.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.99 $2.99

5.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.22 $2.22

28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.27 $2.27

6.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.89 $10.89

17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$13.65 $13.65

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.41 $2.41

73.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.15 $3.15

90.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.94 $1.94

56.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$64.4 $64.4

70.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.83 $2.83

-9.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.37 $1.37

19.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$35.42 $35.42

-16.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.17 $1.17

21.37%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.7K $36.7K

-2.70%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.82%

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

$299 $299

$240 $240

24.39%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$61.4 $61.4

15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$78.0 $78.0

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$30.16 $30.16

163.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

$15.16 $15.16

133.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$13.80 $13.80

24.06%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,107 $1,107

172.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$15.4K $15.4K

105.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$62.6 $62.6

23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$44.61 $44.61

23.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$98.4 $98.4

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$113 $113

44.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,894 $1,894

30.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,460 $1,460

33.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

$2,543 $2,543

85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

$1,683 $1,683

110.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,960 $3,960

58.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.5

5.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tempe, AZ: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

Tempe, AZ

$1.5K 50.7% 25.4% $496

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

Tempe, AZ

$431 15% 20.5% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

Tempe, AZ

$380 13.2% 17.1% $78

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

Tempe, AZ

$327 11.4% 19.9% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Tempe, AZ

$143 5% 24.3% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

Tempe, AZ

$82 2.8% 38.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Tempe, AZ

$58 2% 49.2% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $1,894 in Tempe, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 59% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $82.0 in Tempe, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $431 per month, with Tempe, AZ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Tempe, AZ

🕒 Local time

04:06 4:06 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

161,719

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Tempe, AZ 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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 Tempe, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tempe, AZ is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $1,894 in Tempe, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tempe, AZ – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,880 in Tempe, AZ – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tempe, AZ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.