Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and University Place, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in University Place, WA: $2,876 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,876 in University Place, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,762
University Place, WA $2,876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $4,279 in University Place, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,651
University Place, WA $4,279

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $5,682 in University Place, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,541
University Place, WA $5,682

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 31% more expensive than in University Place, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, University Place, WA 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$23.38 $23.38

1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$101 $101

-2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.15 $12.15

22.96%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$6.08 $6.08

11.68%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.12 $3.12

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.14 $3.14

0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.93 $7.93

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.86 $7.86

0.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.05 $4.05

30.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$5.95 $5.95

-3.19%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.97 $4.97

-1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$16.11 $16.11

25.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$18.19 $18.19

-1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$23.33 $23.33

0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.91 $5.91

0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.77 $1.77

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.55 $5.55

-3.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.48 $4.48

46.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.48 $3.48

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.82 $2.82

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.96 $1.96

47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.06 $3.06

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.43 $12.43

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$18.17 $18.17

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.75 $1.75

150.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.95 $4.95

18.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.13 $2.13

38.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$65.8 $65.8

66.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.66 $2.66

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.70 $1.70

1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.49 $30.49

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.45 $1.45

4.14%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.9K $27.9K

29.68%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

-2.99%

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

$289 $289

$233 $233

23.92%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$68.7 $68.7

0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$88.6 $88.6

-4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$39.56 $39.56

75.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$17.88 $17.88

0.50%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$2,087 $2,087

35.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$60.3 $60.3

51.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$44.90 $44.90

22.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$130 $130

-2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$127 $127

27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,573 $1,573

63.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,280 $1,280

51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,599 $2,599

96.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,111 $2,111

67.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,918 $2,918

152.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,644 $2,644

86.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$8,149 $8,149

-20.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.64

2.41%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

University Place, WA

$1.3K 44.5% 34.1% $662

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

University Place, WA

$505 17.6% 7.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

University Place, WA

$390 13.6% 11.8% $52

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

University Place, WA

$377 13.1% 5.6% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

University Place, WA

$163 5.7% 16.8% $33

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

University Place, WA

$85 3% 35.4% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

University Place, WA

$75 2.6% 28.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,573 in University Place, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

University Place, WA pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in University Place, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $544 vs $505, with University Place, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🕒 Local time

12:19 12:19 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

34,866

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 University Place, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

University Place, WA is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in transport, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Seattle, WA. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,573 in University Place, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,819 in Seattle, WA versus $2,087 in University Place, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in University Place, WA runs roughly 40% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.