Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Washington, DC: $3,785 and $3,916 a month, rent and utilities included.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
188

Cost of Living Index in Washington, DC
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Washington, DC Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Washington, DC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,916

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,916 in Washington, DC.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Washington, DC $3,916

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $6,027 in Washington, DC.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Washington, DC $6,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $8,138 in Washington, DC.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Washington, DC $8,138

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 3% less than in Washington, DC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Washington, DC 188% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.10 $25.10

0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$109 $109

-7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.77 $11.77

25.40%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.96 $5.96

9.06%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.25 $3.25

-1.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.63 $2.63

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$9.16 $9.16

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.92 $9.92

-18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.34 $1.34

-12.69%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.16 $4.16

27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.11 $7.11

-9.99%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.57 $5.57

-9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.91 $16.91

10.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$17.11 $17.11

9.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.48 $18.48

23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.13 $7.13

-15.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.28 $2.28

-14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.99 $4.99

10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.97 $5.97

9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.80 $2.80

24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.89 $3.89

-15.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.67 $2.67

4.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.65 $2.65

-2.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.78 $13.78

-9.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.26 $16.26

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.34 $3.34

25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.79 $5.79

0.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.99 $2.99

2.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$118 $118

-9.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.94 $3.94

-34.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.60 $1.60

2.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$24.78 $24.78

21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.10 $1.10

28.18%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.1K $35.1K

4.81%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

3.82%

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

$308 $308

$207 $207

48.68%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$80.6 $80.6

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$76.7 $76.7

12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$102 $102

-25.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$72.8 $72.8

-51.22%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.93 $17.93

0.50%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,990 $2,990

-8.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$42.0K $42.0K

-27.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$72.8 $72.8

8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.32 $44.32

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$102 $102

23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$124 $124

28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,768 $2,768

-9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,205 $2,205

-12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,965 $4,965

3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$4,186 $4,186

-15.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$7,626 $7,626

-3.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,793 $3,793

31.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,454 $6,454

0.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.63

3.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Washington, DC

$2.2K 56.3% 13.8% $267

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Washington, DC

$516 13.2% 5.7% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Washington, DC

$364 9.3% 21.3% $99

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Washington, DC

$397 10.1% 2.3% $9.5

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Washington, DC

$154 3.9% 18.2% $34

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Washington, DC

$142 3.6% 9.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Washington, DC

$138 3.5% 22.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,768 in Washington, DC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $109 in Washington, DC. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $516, with Washington, DC cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Washington, DC

🕒 Local time

03:39 3:39 AM

06:39 6:39 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

672,228 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Washington, DC 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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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 Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $5,874 in Washington, DC to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,768 in Washington, DC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $109 in Washington, DC. 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 $3,916 in Washington, DC – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Washington, DC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.