Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Wilmington, DE

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, DE: $2,557 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, DE
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Wilmington, DE Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Wilmington, DE

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 Wilmington, DE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,557 in Wilmington, DE.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Wilmington, DE $2,557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,433 in Wilmington, DE.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Wilmington, DE $3,433

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,309 in Wilmington, DE.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Wilmington, DE $4,309

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Wilmington, DE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Wilmington, DE 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$20.04 $20.04

18.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$74.8 $74.8

31.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.30 $10.30

45.05%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.95 $4.95

37.17%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.19 $2.19

47.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.31 $1.31

140.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$4.05 $4.05

102.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.13 $6.13

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.13 $1.13

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.06 $3.06

72.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.76 $2.76

108.70%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.08 $3.08

58.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$9.32 $9.32

117.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$8.50 $8.50

111.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$14.58 $14.58

60.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.63 $4.63

28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.32 $1.32

43.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.44 $4.44

20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.83 $3.83

71.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.54 $2.54

33.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.46 $2.46

17.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.04 $2.04

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.98 $0.98

147.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.92 $9.92

22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$12.96 $12.96

17.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.42 $2.42

80.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.70 $3.70

59.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.05 $2.05

44.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.2 $60.2

81.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.89 $3.89

-35.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.59 $1.59

8.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$27.47 $27.47

8.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.06 $1.06

42.45%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.3K $27.3K

32.64%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

0.24%

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

$289 $289

$270 $270

6.97%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$50.7 $50.7

36.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$59.8 $59.8

41.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$24.69 $24.69

181.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$15.19 $15.19

130.74%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$11.87 $11.87

51.39%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,605 $1,605

75.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$25.7K $25.7K

70.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$36.92 $36.92

146.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.59 $47.59

15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$84.1 $84.1

51.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$90.8 $90.8

78.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,729 $1,729

49.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,308 $1,308

48.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,728 $2,728

86.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,613 $1,613

119.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,215 $2,215

232.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,081 $2,081

136.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,946 $3,946

63.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.3

7.94%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Wilmington, DE: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Wilmington, DE

$1.3K 51.2% 32.7% $635

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Wilmington, DE

$325 12.7% 40.2% $218

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Wilmington, DE

$380 14.9% 14% $62

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Wilmington, DE

$297 11.6% 25.5% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Wilmington, DE

$117 4.6% 40.4% $79

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Wilmington, DE

$80 3.1% 39.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Wilmington, DE

$48 1.9% 54.1% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,729 in Wilmington, DE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 63% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $75 in Wilmington, DE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $325 per month, with Wilmington, DE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Wilmington, DE

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

02:23 2:23 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

72,826

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Wilmington, DE 3,800 km ≈ 5 h 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 Wilmington, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wilmington, DE is about 32% 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 63% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,729 in Wilmington, DE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wilmington, DE – a meal for two runs $75 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,557 in Wilmington, DE – Wilmington, DE is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

For families, Wilmington, DE 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 Wilmington, DE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.