Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and York, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in York, ME: $2,651 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
134

Cost of Living Index in York, ME
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York, ME Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

York, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in York, ME

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,651 in York, ME.

Seattle, WA $3,785
York, ME $2,651

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,762 in York, ME.

Seattle, WA $5,688
York, ME $3,762

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,873 in York, ME.

Seattle, WA $7,592
York, ME $4,873

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 43% more expensive than in York, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, York, ME 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.05 $18.05

40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$50.2 $50.2

100.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.76 $13.76

7.27%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.54 $5.54

17.33%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.82 $2.82

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.82 $2.82

11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.91 $4.91

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.22 $8.22

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.08 $1.08

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.92 $3.92

35.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.46 $5.46

17.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$1.74 $1.74

190.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.10 $11.10

68.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.21 $14.21

31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$11.19 $11.19

104.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.33 $4.33

39.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.81 $1.81

7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.99 $3.99

38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.46 $5.46

19.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.86 $2.86

22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.03 $4.03

-18.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.54 $2.54

10.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.08 $3.08

-16.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.50 $8.50

46.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.65 $13.65

8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.10 $2.10

99.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.11 $4.11

41.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.93 $1.93

58.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$67.0 $67.0

58.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.75 $1.75

-6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$28.75 $28.75

4.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.09 $1.09

29.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$19.4K $19.4K

89.36%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$16.2K $16.2K

64.33%

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

$308 $308

$321 $321

-4.16%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$104 $104

-33.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$85.8 $85.8

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$35.48 $35.48

115.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.44 $14.44

24.79%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,811 $1,811

51.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$30.0K $30.0K

2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$56.0 $56.0

41.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$37.76 $37.76

43.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$78.9 $78.9

60.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$98.4 $98.4

61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,751 $1,751

43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,150 $1,150

68.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,217 $2,217

130.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,894 $1,894

87.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,945 $2,945

150.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,583 $2,583

93.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for York, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

York, ME

$1.1K 43.4% 40.7% $789

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

York, ME

$402 15.2% 26.5% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

York, ME

$511 19.3% 10.3% $48

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

York, ME

$316 11.9% 22.3% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

York, ME

$122 4.6% 35.3% $67

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

York, ME

$86 3.3% 33% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

York, ME

$64 2.4% 42.8% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,751 in York, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $50 in York, ME for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $402 per month, with York, ME cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 York, ME

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

15:03 3:03 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

44,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA York, ME 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
York, ME

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 York, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

York, ME is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $3,977 in York, ME 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,751 in York, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in York, ME – a meal for two runs $50 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 $2,651 in York, ME – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,651 in York, ME versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in York, ME but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes York, ME the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 York, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.