Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,168 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index
185

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

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Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,168

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sioux City, IA and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sioux City, IA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Sioux City, IA $2,168
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Sioux City, IA versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Sioux City, IA $3,305
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,442 in Sioux City, IA versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Sioux City, IA $4,442
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Sioux City, IA costs roughly 43% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sioux City, IA 61% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 $20.33

$25.32 $25.32

-19.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 $56.0

$101 $101

-44.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 $10.65

$14.85 $14.85

-28.28%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$6.59 $6.59

-6.83%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$3.22 $3.22

-34.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.14 $3.14

-43.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$8.18 $8.18

-38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$8.03 $8.03

-30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.21 $1.21

-28.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.12 $5.12

-42.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$6.30 $6.30

-46.35%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$4.90 $4.90

-26.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$19.10 $19.10

-58.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$18.50 $18.50

-59.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$23.03 $23.03

-27.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$5.81 $5.81

-18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.95 $1.95

-22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.29 $5.29

-24.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$6.48 $6.48

-38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.57 $3.57

-44.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.15 $3.15

54.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.85 $2.85

-16.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.42 $2.42

-11.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$12.75 $12.75

-29.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$14.99 $14.99

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.17 $4.17

-59.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.99 $5.99

-48.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.04 $3.04

-41.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 $47.88

$110 $110

-56.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.55 $2.55

-22.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.64 $1.64

-26.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.61 $19.61

$29.58 $29.58

-33.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.42 $1.42

-35.92%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

-1.01%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

-2.02%

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

$167 $167

$299 $299

-44.26%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$70.8 $70.8

-26.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$88.3 $88.3

-21.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 $98.8

$79.5 $79.5

24.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 $20.08

$35.37 $35.37

-43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$17.12 $17.12

-12.09%

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

$1,098 $1,098

$3,013 $3,013

-63.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$31.6K $31.6K

-62.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.40 $43.40

$77.2 $77.2

-43.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.73 $21.73

$55.1 $55.1

-60.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$126 $126

-38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 $89.3

$163 $163

-45.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 $923

$2,464 $2,464

-62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 $922

$1,956 $1,956

-52.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 $1,481

$4,711 $4,711

-68.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$3,550 $3,550

-50.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,546 $1,546

$7,346 $7,346

-78.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 $1,546

$5,048 $5,048

-69.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 $3,592

$6,286 $6,286

-42.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.85

-4.09%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sioux City, IA

$922 42.5%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 112% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 58.3% $199

Eating Out

Sioux City, IA

$320 14.8%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 27.5% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sioux City, IA

$288 13.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 59.1% $170

Sport & Entertainment

Sioux City, IA

$129 5.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 11.7% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 81.6% $85

Getting Around

Sioux City, IA

$63 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 111% $70

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $923 in Sioux City, IA and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 75% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $56.0 in Sioux City, IA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $542 per month, with Sioux City, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:25 10:25 AM

08:25 8:25 AM

2 h behind Sioux City, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,797

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Sioux City, IA Seattle, WA 2,100 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sioux City, IA
Seattle, WA

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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

Sioux City, IA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Seattle, 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: $923 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sioux City, IA – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,168 per month in Sioux City, IA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sioux City, IA 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.

Expats usually find Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.