Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and The Dalles, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in The Dalles, OR: $2,414 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 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
122

Cost of Living Index in The Dalles, OR
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The Dalles, OR Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in The Dalles, OR

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 The Dalles, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,414 in The Dalles, OR.

Seattle, WA $3,785
The Dalles, OR $2,414

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,667 in The Dalles, OR.

Seattle, WA $5,688
The Dalles, OR $3,667

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,921 in The Dalles, OR.

Seattle, WA $7,592
The Dalles, OR $4,921

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 57% more expensive than in The Dalles, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, The Dalles, OR 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.97 $19.97

26.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$93.8 $93.8

7.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.14 $12.14

21.58%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.48 $4.48

45.09%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.42 $2.42

32.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.12 $2.12

48.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.87 $4.87

63.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.11 $7.11

14.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.28 $3.28

61.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.06 $4.06

57.64%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.96 $2.96

70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.94 $14.94

25.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.07 $14.07

33.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$11.07 $11.07

106.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.77 $4.77

27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.91 $3.91

40.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.00 $4.00

63.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.12 $3.12

11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.33 $3.33

-1.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.79 $1.79

56.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.03 $2.03

27.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.28 $11.28

10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.23 $15.23

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.69 $1.69

147.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.98 $2.98

94.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.06 $2.06

48.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.2 $59.2

79.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.52 $3.52

-26.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.21 $2.21

-25.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$49.16 $49.16

-38.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.23 $1.23

14.63%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

45.97%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.5K $24.5K

8.49%

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

$308 $308

$188 $188

63.69%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$59.8 $59.8

15.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$71.2 $71.2

20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$40.12 $40.12

90.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.92 $11.92

51.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,012 $1,012

171.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.3K $16.3K

87.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.48 $40.48

95.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$34.67 $34.67

56.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$60.1 $60.1

111.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$80.1 $80.1

98.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,565 $1,565

60.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,163 $1,163

66.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,589 $2,589

97.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,067 $2,067

71.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,439 $2,439

202.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,112 $2,112

136.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,842 $3,842

68.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for The Dalles, OR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

The Dalles, OR

$1.2K 48.2% 40% $775

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

The Dalles, OR

$382 15.8% 30.1% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

The Dalles, OR

$319 13.2% 31.1% $144

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

The Dalles, OR

$307 12.7% 24.5% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

The Dalles, OR

$97 4% 48.6% $92

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

The Dalles, OR

$82 3.4% 36.4% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

The Dalles, OR

$64 2.7% 43.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,565 in The Dalles, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 68% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $94 in The Dalles, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $382 per month, with The Dalles, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 The Dalles, OR

🕒 Local time

11:02 11:02 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

13,783

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA The Dalles, OR 240 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 The Dalles, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Dalles, OR is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 68% 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 $1,565 in The Dalles, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in The Dalles, OR – a meal for two runs $94 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 $2,414 in The Dalles, OR – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,414 in The Dalles, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in The Dalles, OR but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes The Dalles, OR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 The Dalles, OR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.