Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, NC: $2,876 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 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
137

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, NC
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Wilmington, NC Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Wilmington, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,876 in Wilmington, NC.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Wilmington, NC $2,876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,129 in Wilmington, NC.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Wilmington, NC $4,129

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,382 in Wilmington, NC.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Wilmington, NC $5,382

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 32% more expensive than in Wilmington, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Wilmington, NC 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.08 $15.08

67.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.1 $80.1

26.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.80 $10.80

36.67%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.55 $5.55

17.12%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.53 $2.53

26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.36 $2.36

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.14 $5.14

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.95 $6.95

16.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.99 $0.99

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.01 $4.01

32.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.84 $5.84

9.59%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.34 $5.34

-5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.38 $11.38

64.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.42 $14.42

29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$25.47 $25.47

-10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.38 $6.38

-5.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.77 $1.77

10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.91 $6.91

-20.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.19 $6.19

5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.09 $4.09

-14.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$5.94 $5.94

-44.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.40 $2.40

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.14 $3.14

-17.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.64 $8.64

44.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.70 $14.70

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.02 $2.02

107.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$6.00 $6.00

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.03 $2.03

50.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$79.4 $79.4

33.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$7.03 $7.03

-63.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.89 $1.89

-13.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

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

$27.1K $27.1K

35.82%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.12%

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

$308 $308

$286 $286

7.40%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$55.8 $55.8

24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$76.2 $76.2

12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$56.1 $56.1

36.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$4.08 $4.08

770.10%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.89 $14.89

21.02%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,339 $1,339

105.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$70.9 $70.9

11.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.96 $41.96

29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$99.6 $99.6

27.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$68.8 $68.8

131.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,640 $1,640

52.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,361 $1,361

42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,819 $2,819

81.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,116 $2,116

67.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,291 $3,291

124.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,529 $2,529

97.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,936 $3,936

64.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.57

4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Wilmington, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Wilmington, NC

$1.4K 47.3% 29.8% $578

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Wilmington, NC

$501 17.4% 8.3% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Wilmington, NC

$418 14.6% 9.6% $44

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Wilmington, NC

$279 9.7% 31.4% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Wilmington, NC

$127 4.4% 32.9% $62

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Wilmington, NC

$104 3.6% 19.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Wilmington, NC

$86 3% 23.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,640 in Wilmington, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 64% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $80 in Wilmington, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $501 per month, with Wilmington, NC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Wilmington, NC

🕒 Local time

16:13 4:13 PM

19:13 7:13 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

72,826

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Wilmington, NC 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Wilmington, NC

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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 Wilmington, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wilmington, NC is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% 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 $1,640 in Wilmington, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wilmington, NC – a meal for two runs $80 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 $2,876 in Wilmington, NC – Wilmington, NC is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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 Wilmington, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.