Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Waco, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,447 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,744 in Seattle, WA versus $2,447 in Waco, TX.

Seattle, WA $3,744
Waco, TX $2,447

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in Seattle, WA versus $3,090 in Waco, TX.

Seattle, WA $5,703
Waco, TX $3,090

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,661 in Seattle, WA versus $3,734 in Waco, TX.

Seattle, WA $7,661
Waco, TX $3,734

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 53% more expensive than in Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Waco, TX 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$15.21 $15.21

61.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$59.0 $59.0

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$12.18 $12.18

25.62%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.39 $5.39

22.82%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$1.77 $1.77

83.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.49 $1.49

108.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.93 $4.93

57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$5.52 $5.52

43.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.76 $0.76

59.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.16 $3.16

56.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.03 $2.03

203.94%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$2.78 $2.78

78.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

$12.06 $12.06

57.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$9.70 $9.70

92.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$11.67 $11.67

98.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.83 $3.83

54.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.12 $1.12

73.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.86 $3.86

34.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$3.71 $3.71

76.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.27 $2.27

59.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.86 $2.86

10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.76 $1.76

65.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.99 $0.99

140.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$8.54 $8.54

44.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$13.49 $13.49

11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.68 $1.68

155.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.81 $3.81

49.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.54 $1.54

98.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$40.12 $40.12

170.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$9.93 $9.93

-73.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.90 $1.90

-8.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$59.4 $59.4

-49.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.89 $0.89

64.04%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.2K $36.2K

1.43%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.0K $25.0K

2.66%

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

$299 $299

$175 $175

70.66%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$40.53 $40.53

71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

$54.7 $54.7

64.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

$27.96 $27.96

186.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$9.07 $9.07

91.07%

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

$2,986 $2,986

$747 $747

299.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$18.2K $18.2K

72.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

$47.91 $47.91

62.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$38.27 $38.27

43.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$85.3 $85.3

47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$95.4 $95.4

73.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,244 $1,244

93.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,328 $1,328

47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

$1,541 $1,541

210.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$1,374 $1,374

159.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$1,970 $1,970

277.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

$1,955 $1,955

156.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$3,156 $3,156

98.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.49

5.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55% 32.3% $635

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

Waco, TX

$312 12.9% 42.2% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

Waco, TX

$271 11.2% 41.1% $189

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

Waco, TX

$272 11.3% 32.4% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

Waco, TX

$120 5% 37% $71

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Waco, TX

$66 2.7% 50.2% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

Waco, TX

$46 1.9% 59.8% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,407 in Seattle, WA and $1,244 in Waco, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 99% 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: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $59.0 in Waco, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $312 per month, with Waco, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

10:34 10:34 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

138,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Waco, TX 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waco, TX is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $2,407 in Seattle, WA versus $1,244 in Waco, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Waco, TX – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,744 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,447 in Waco, TX – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,447 in Waco, TX versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waco, TX but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Waco, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waco, TX 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 Waco, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.