Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Yakima, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Yakima, WA: $2,253 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Yakima, WA
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Yakima, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Yakima, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,253

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Yakima, WA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,253 in Yakima, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Yakima, WA $2,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,276 in Yakima, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Yakima, WA $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,299 in Yakima, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Yakima, WA $4,299

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 68% more expensive than in Yakima, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Yakima, WA 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$15.57 $15.57

57.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$64.1 $64.1

53.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.38 $11.38

29.96%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.54 $4.54

43.61%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.15 $2.15

50.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.63 $2.63

20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.78 $3.78

107.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.17 $4.17

92.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.90 $3.90

31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.60 $3.60

68.06%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.22 $3.22

51.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$11.70 $11.70

63.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.88 $8.88

112.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.80 $14.80

57.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.48 $3.48

72.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.58 $1.58

22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.27 $4.27

22.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.42 $3.42

92.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.28 $2.28

58.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.16 $2.16

53.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.05 $2.05

35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.69 $1.69

48.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.34 $12.34

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.06 $14.06

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.75 $1.75

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.83 $4.83

19.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$5.08 $5.08

-41.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.62 $2.62

1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.92 $0.92

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$30.08 $30.08

-1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.27 $1.27

17.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.3K $28.3K

27.02%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$27.2K $27.2K

-3.55%

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

$302 $302

$219 $219

38.02%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$54.1 $54.1

29.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$69.1 $69.1

23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$51.4 $51.4

51.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.10 $14.10

26.52%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,720 $1,720

72.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$7,241 $7,241

332.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$61.7 $61.7

24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.66 $43.66

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$81.5 $81.5

57.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$110 $110

49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,044 $1,044

134.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,063 $1,063

83.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,694 $1,694

179.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,749 $1,749

98.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,662 $2,662

176.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,471 $2,471

107.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,530 $3,530

84.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.44

6.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Yakima, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Yakima, WA

$1.1K 47.2% 45.4% $884

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Yakima, WA

$348 15.4% 36.3% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Yakima, WA

$342 15.2% 25.2% $115

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Yakima, WA

$260 11.5% 35% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Yakima, WA

$133 5.9% 29.9% $57

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Yakima, WA

$28 * 1.2% 78.7% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Yakima, WA

$80 3.5% 29.9% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,044 in Yakima, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 84% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $98 in Seattle, WA vs $64 in Yakima, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $348 per month, with Yakima, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Yakima, WA

🕒 Local time

15:16 3:16 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

96,968

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Yakima, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yakima, WA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 84% 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 $1,044 in Yakima, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,720 in Yakima, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yakima, WA – a meal for two runs $64 versus $98 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Yakima, WA 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.

It comes down to priorities – Yakima, WA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.