Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Williamsburg, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Williamsburg, VA: $2,806 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 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
136

Cost of Living Index in Williamsburg, VA
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Williamsburg, VA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Williamsburg, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Williamsburg, VA

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 Williamsburg, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,806 in Williamsburg, VA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Williamsburg, VA $2,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,178 in Williamsburg, VA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Williamsburg, VA $4,178

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,550 in Williamsburg, VA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Williamsburg, VA $5,550

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 35% more expensive than in Williamsburg, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Williamsburg, VA 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.23 $19.23

31.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$74.3 $74.3

35.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.04 $13.04

13.19%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.46 $5.46

19.05%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.80 $2.80

14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.21 $2.21

42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.90 $4.90

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.47 $7.47

8.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 $1.05

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.99 $3.99

32.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.79 $3.79

68.87%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.48 $3.48

45.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.13 $13.13

42.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.14 $8.14

129.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.12 $15.12

51.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.39 $5.39

12.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.36 $1.36

43.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.63 $4.63

19.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.55 $3.55

83.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.72 $5.72

-38.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.39 $3.39

-2.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.54 $1.54

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.72 $1.72

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$6.23 $6.23

100.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.58 $10.58

40.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.24 $2.24

87.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.77 $3.77

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.51 $1.51

101.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$44.32 $44.32

139.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.05 $3.05

-15.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.44 $1.44

13.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$22.73 $22.73

32.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.86 $0.86

63.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.9K $35.9K

2.40%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.42%

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

$308 $308

$189 $189

62.53%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$48.02 $48.02

44.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$59.9 $59.9

43.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$93.4 $93.4

-18.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$24.89 $24.89

42.63%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.90 $14.90

20.94%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,874 $1,874

46.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

27.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$37.27 $37.27

112.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$35.35 $35.35

53.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$84.6 $84.6

49.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$152 $152

4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,283 $2,283

9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,501 $1,501

29.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,667 $2,667

91.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,641 $2,641

34.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,136 $2,136

245.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,712 $1,712

192.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,337 $4,337

49.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.5

6.00%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Williamsburg, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Williamsburg, VA

$1.5K 53.5% 22.6% $437

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Williamsburg, VA

$367 13.1% 32.9% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Williamsburg, VA

$297 10.6% 35.8% $166

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Williamsburg, VA

$318 11.3% 21.7% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Williamsburg, VA

$139 5% 26.3% $50

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Williamsburg, VA

$61 2.2% 53% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Williamsburg, VA

$123 4.4% 9.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,283 in Williamsburg, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 49% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $74 in Williamsburg, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $367 per month, with Williamsburg, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Williamsburg, VA

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

19:47 7:47 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

15,425

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Williamsburg, VA 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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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 Williamsburg, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Williamsburg, VA is about 26% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% 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 $2,283 in Williamsburg, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Williamsburg, VA – a meal for two runs $74 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 $2,806 in Williamsburg, VA – Williamsburg, VA is about 26% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Williamsburg, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Williamsburg, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.