Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Waukesha, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Waukesha, WI: $2,042 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Waukesha, WI
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Waukesha, WI Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,042

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Waukesha, WI

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 Waukesha, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,042 in Waukesha, WI.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Waukesha, WI $2,042

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $2,973 in Waukesha, WI.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Waukesha, WI $2,973

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $3,905 in Waukesha, WI.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Waukesha, WI $3,905

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 85% more expensive than in Waukesha, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Waukesha, WI 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.03 $17.03

48.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.2 $76.2

32.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.79 $10.79

36.79%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.97 $4.97

30.78%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.71 $2.71

18.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.96 $1.96

60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.05 $6.05

31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.07 $7.07

14.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.84 $0.84

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.36 $3.36

57.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.50 $4.50

42.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.51 $3.51

44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$8.76 $8.76

113.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.37 $11.37

64.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.46 $16.46

39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.04 $5.04

20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.70 $1.70

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.55 $3.55

55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.12 $5.12

27.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.72 $1.72

102.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.63 $2.63

25.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.69 $1.69

65.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.46 $8.46

47.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.21 $11.21

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.71 $1.71

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.40 $3.40

70.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.97 $1.97

54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$49.77 $49.77

112.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.77 $2.77

-6.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$20.78 $20.78

44.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.03 $1.03

36.89%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.9K $24.9K

47.63%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.82%

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

$308 $308

$199 $199

54.39%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$52.0 $52.0

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$60.0 $60.0

43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$50.9 $50.9

50.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.37 $14.37

25.40%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,520 $1,520

80.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.4K $24.4K

25.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$54.7 $54.7

44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.60 $40.60

33.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$88.8 $88.8

42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$74.8 $74.8

112.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,013 $1,013

147.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$815 $815

137.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,600 $1,600

219.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,187 $1,187

198.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,361 $2,361

212.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,414 $2,414

107.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,197 $4,197

54.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.53

5.51%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Waukesha, WI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Waukesha, WI

$815 39.9% 58% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Waukesha, WI

$360 17.6% 34.2% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Waukesha, WI

$311 15.2% 32.8% $152

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Waukesha, WI

$291 14.3% 28.3% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Waukesha, WI

$116 5.7% 38.3% $72

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Waukesha, WI

$69 3.4% 46.8% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Waukesha, WI

$80 3.9% 29.2% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,013 in Waukesha, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 54% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $76 in Waukesha, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $360 per month, with Waukesha, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Waukesha, WI

🕒 Local time

07:40 7:40 AM

09:40 9:40 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

71,158

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Waukesha, WI 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs Waukesha, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waukesha, WI is about 46% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% 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 $1,013 in Waukesha, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Waukesha, WI – a meal for two runs $76 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 $2,042 in Waukesha, WI – Waukesha, WI is about 46% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,042 in Waukesha, WI versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waukesha, WI but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Waukesha, WI the clear choice for anyone on this 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.

Expats usually find Waukesha, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.