Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yelm, WA: $2,622 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Yelm, WA
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Yelm, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Yelm, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,622

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Yelm, 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 Yelm, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,622 in Yelm, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Yelm, WA $2,622

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,646 in Yelm, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Yelm, WA $3,646

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,669 in Yelm, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Yelm, WA $4,669

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 44% more expensive than in Yelm, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Yelm, WA 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.27 $20.27

20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$65.1 $65.1

50.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.69 $12.69

16.55%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.39 $5.39

20.96%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.91 $2.91

11.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.66 $1.66

90.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.34 $6.34

23.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.03 $7.03

14.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.12 $1.12

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.63 $3.63

41.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.06 $3.06

97.71%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.09 $5.09

-4.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$9.21 $9.21

108.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.62 $10.62

78.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$13.27 $13.27

75.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.29 $4.29

39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.22 $1.22

58.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.10 $4.10

28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$1.95 $1.95

236.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.58 $1.58

129.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.51 $1.51

119.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.84 $0.84

230.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.56 $0.56

348.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.15 $12.15

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.80 $14.80

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.27 $2.27

85.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.35 $2.35

145.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.18 $2.18

35.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.02 $2.02

31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.82 $1.82

-5.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$14.76 $14.76

101.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.30 $1.30

14.62%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.5K $28.5K

26.14%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.26%

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

$302 $302

$159 $159

89.37%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$70.4 $70.4

-0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$94.9 $94.9

-10.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$38.85 $38.85

100.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$9.52 $9.52

87.39%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,455 $1,455

104.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$39.88 $39.88

91.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$29.45 $29.45

83.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.3 $88.3

45.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$103 $103

59.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,486 $1,486

64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,454 $1,454

33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,558 $2,558

85.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,129 $2,129

62.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,108 $3,108

136.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,162 $2,162

137.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$8,918 $8,918

-27.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Yelm, 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%

Yelm, WA

$1.5K 55.5% 25.3% $493

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Yelm, WA

$319 12.2% 41.5% $227

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Yelm, WA

$325 12.4% 29% $133

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Yelm, WA

$329 12.6% 17.7% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Yelm, WA

$117 4.5% 38.4% $73

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Yelm, WA

$20 * 0.8% 84.6% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Yelm, WA

$58 2.2% 49% $56

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 $1,486 in Yelm, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yelm, WA pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $65.0 in Yelm, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $319 per month, with Yelm, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Yelm, WA

🕒 Local time

09:27 9:27 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

10,617

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Yelm, WA 77 km

From you

Seattle, WA
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yelm, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yelm, WA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Yelm, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,486 in Yelm, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,455 in Yelm, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yelm, WA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,622 in Yelm, WA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Yelm, WA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Yelm, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Yelm, WA 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 Yelm, WA 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 Yelm, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.