Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Washington, DC Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Washington, DC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $3,873 in Washington, DC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $6,222 in Washington, DC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $8,571 in Washington, DC.

Monthly costs are close between Seattle, WA and Washington, DC; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Washington, DC 181% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$28.05 $28.05

-9.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$119 $119

-15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$12.23 $12.23

21.01%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$6.11 $6.11

8.51%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.12 $3.12

-1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.62 $2.62

12.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$8.04 $8.04

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$9.87 $9.87

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.26 $1.26

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.16 $4.16

23.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$7.15 $7.15

-13.85%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$5.67 $5.67

-10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$17.40 $17.40

22.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$16.64 $16.64

10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$18.88 $18.88

22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$7.19 $7.19

-15.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.37 $2.37

-20.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.90 $4.90

6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$5.77 $5.77

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.87 $2.87

31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.79 $3.79

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.61 $2.61

9.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.67 $2.67

-0.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$14.01 $14.01

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.87 $15.87

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.33 $3.33

25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$5.81 $5.81

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.34 $3.34

-11.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$119 $119

-9.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.09 $4.09

-37.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.61 $1.61

2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$25.39 $25.39

16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.08 $1.08

35.19%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

0.20%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.66%

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

$306 $306

$206 $206

48.90%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$82.3 $82.3

-14.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$76.2 $76.2

14.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$120 $120

-33.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

$74.2 $74.2

-53.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$17.64 $17.64

1.19%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$3,193 $3,193

-5.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$41.3K $41.3K

-24.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$72.6 $72.6

5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$43.42 $43.42

23.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$103 $103

21.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$123 $123

31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,634 $2,634

-6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$2,214 $2,214

-10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$5,234 $5,234

-6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$4,531 $4,531

-19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$8,538 $8,538

-13.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$3,585 $3,585

39.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

$6,376 $6,376

-3.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.23

3.53%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $2,634 in Washington, DC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $119 in Washington, DC. Groceries flip the comparison at $551 vs $515, with Washington, DC cheaper for home cooking.

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 Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Washington, DC. 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: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $2,634 in Washington, DC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $3,193 in Washington, DC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Washington, DC – a meal for two runs $119 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Washington, DC 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.

It comes down to priorities – Washington, DC wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.