Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Wichita, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita, KS: $2,195 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Wichita, KS
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Wichita, KS Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Wichita, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,195

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Wichita, KS

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 Wichita, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,195 in Wichita, KS.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Wichita, KS $2,195

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,219 in Wichita, KS.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Wichita, KS $3,219

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,243 in Wichita, KS.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Wichita, KS $4,243

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 72% more expensive than in Wichita, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Wichita, KS 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$17.98 $17.98

36.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$59.7 $59.7

64.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.81 $10.81

36.82%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.30 $5.30

23.02%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.51 $2.51

28.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.82 $1.82

74.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.04 $5.04

55.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.10 $6.10

31.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.86 $0.86

40.70%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.82 $3.82

34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.66 $4.66

29.83%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.07 $4.07

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.56 $11.56

65.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.13 $10.13

86.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$18.14 $18.14

28.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.98 $5.98

0.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.73 $1.73

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.06 $5.06

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.26 $5.26

24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.82 $2.82

28.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.75 $2.75

20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.30 $2.30

20.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.30 $2.30

9.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.51 $9.51

28.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.79 $14.79

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.16 $2.16

95.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.78 $3.78

52.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.70 $1.70

73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$54.1 $54.1

96.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.51 $2.51

5.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.52 $1.52

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$40.29 $40.29

-26.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.98 $0.98

52.04%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

27.27%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.38%

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

$302 $302

$277 $277

8.94%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$82.3 $82.3

-14.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.9 $69.9

21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$30.57 $30.57

154.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$19.66 $19.66

75.89%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.26 $15.26

16.91%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$922 $922

222.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$16.3K $16.3K

92.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$47.32 $47.32

61.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$30.83 $30.83

75.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$110 $110

16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$141 $141

16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$994 $994

146.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$784 $784

148.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,575 $1,575

201.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,289 $1,289

169.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,510 $1,510

387.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,508 $1,508

239.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,571 $3,571

82.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.65

3.61%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Wichita, KS: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Wichita, KS

$784 35.7% 59.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Wichita, KS

$407 18.5% 25.4% $139

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Wichita, KS

$429 19.6% 6.1% $28

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Wichita, KS

$295 13.4% 26.3% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Wichita, KS

$148 6.7% 22.3% $42

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Wichita, KS

$71 3.2% 45.1% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Wichita, KS

$61 2.8% 46.2% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $994 in Wichita, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 82% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $60.0 in Wichita, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $407 per month, with Wichita, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Wichita, KS

🕒 Local time

19:31 7:31 PM

21:31 9:31 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

357,698

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Wichita, KS 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Wichita, KS

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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 Wichita, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wichita, KS is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $994 in Wichita, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wichita, KS – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,195 in Wichita, KS – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,195 in Wichita, KS versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wichita, KS but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.