Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Virginia Beach, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA: $2,871 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Virginia Beach, VA
Learn more

Virginia Beach, VA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Virginia Beach, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,871

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Virginia Beach, VA

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 Virginia Beach, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Virginia Beach, VA $2,871

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,064 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Virginia Beach, VA $4,064

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,257 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Virginia Beach, VA $5,257

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Virginia Beach, VA 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.35 $18.35

37.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.9 $90.9

11.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.22 $12.22

20.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.00 $6.00

8.33%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.81 $2.81

14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.16 $2.16

45.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.02 $6.02

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.19 $7.19

13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.04 $1.04

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.08 $3.08

72.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.47 $5.47

17.00%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.74 $4.74

6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.49 $10.49

78.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.62 $9.62

94.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.16 $18.16

25.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.52 $2.52

140.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.61 $1.61

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.13 $5.13

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.77 $5.77

13.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.28 $2.28

53.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.51 $4.51

-27.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.78 $1.78

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.37 $2.37

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.57 $9.57

30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.18 $12.18

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.75 $1.75

139.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.20 $2.20

163.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.03 $2.03

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$70.8 $70.8

49.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.56 $4.56

-43.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.32 $1.32

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$19.82 $19.82

51.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

35.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.11%

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

$308 $308

$208 $208

48.18%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$59.8 $59.8

15.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$66.9 $66.9

28.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$25.57 $25.57

198.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$35.66 $35.66

-0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$9.49 $9.49

89.88%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,620 $1,620

69.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.1K $16.1K

89.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.8 $61.8

28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.94 $47.94

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$117 $117

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$114 $114

39.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,966 $1,966

27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,553 $1,553

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,867 $2,867

78.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,246 $2,246

57.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,706 $2,706

172.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,334 $2,334

114.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,353 $4,353

48.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Virginia Beach, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Virginia Beach, VA

$1.6K 54.1% 19.9% $386

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Virginia Beach, VA

$377 13.1% 31.1% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Virginia Beach, VA

$334 11.6% 27.8% $129

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Virginia Beach, VA

$320 11.1% 21.3% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Virginia Beach, VA

$153 5.3% 18.7% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Virginia Beach, VA

$90 3.1% 30.1% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Virginia Beach, VA

$45 1.6% 60.4% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,966 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 49% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $91 in Virginia Beach, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $377 per month, with Virginia Beach, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Virginia Beach, VA

🕒 Local time

18:04 6:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

459,470

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Virginia Beach, VA 3,930 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Virginia Beach, VA

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 Virginia Beach, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Virginia Beach, VA is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,966 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA – a meal for two runs $91 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 $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA – Virginia Beach, VA is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

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 Virginia Beach, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.