Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Winona, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Winona, MN: $1,950 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Winona, MN
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Winona, MN Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Winona, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Winona, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $1,950 in Winona, MN.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Winona, MN $1,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $2,925 in Winona, MN.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Winona, MN $2,925

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $3,900 in Winona, MN.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Winona, MN $3,900

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 94% more expensive than in Winona, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Winona, MN 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.12 $15.12

62.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$58.5 $58.5

68.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.46 $11.46

29.06%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.54 $5.54

17.69%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$1.79 $1.79

80.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.03 $1.03

207.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.12 $4.12

90.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.90 $5.90

36.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.00 $1.00

21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.41 $1.41

264.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.16 $4.16

45.43%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$1.75 $1.75

178.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$14.72 $14.72

30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.41 $13.41

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.81 $19.81

17.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.61 $4.61

29.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.64 $0.64

201.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.12 $5.12

2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.96 $4.96

32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.79 $2.79

29.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.03 $3.03

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.10 $2.10

32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.37 $2.37

5.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.85 $10.85

12.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.47 $15.47

-4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.70 $2.70

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.33 $4.33

33.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$66.8 $66.8

58.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.88 $3.88

-31.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.06 $2.06

-16.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$42.95 $42.95

-30.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

15.40%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.58%

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

$302 $302

$198 $198

52.58%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$29.44 $29.44

138.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$53.2 $53.2

60.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$60.4 $60.4

28.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$9.82 $9.82

81.67%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,718 $1,718

73.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.9K $23.9K

31.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$63.1 $63.1

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.4 $50.4

7.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$106 $106

20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$123 $123

33.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$867 $867

182.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$686 $686

183.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,285 $1,285

269.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,180 $1,180

193.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,671 $1,671

340.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,653 $1,653

210.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.69

2.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Winona, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Winona, MN

$686 35.2% 64.8% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Winona, MN

$395 20.3% 27.6% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Winona, MN

$280 14.4% 38.7% $177

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Winona, MN

$265 13.6% 33.6% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Winona, MN

$154 7.9% 19.1% $36

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Winona, MN

$89 4.6% 31.1% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Winona, MN

$80 4.1% 29.5% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $867 in Winona, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $58.0 in Winona, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $395 per month, with Winona, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Winona, MN

🕒 Local time

21:49 9:49 PM

23:49 11:49 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

26,533

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Winona, MN 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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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 Winona, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Winona, MN is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,673 in Seattle, WA and $2,924 in Winona, MN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $867 in Winona, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Winona, MN – a meal for two runs $58.0 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 $1,950 in Winona, MN – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,950 in Winona, MN versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Winona, MN but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Winona, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Winona, MN 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Winona, MN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Winona, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.