Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in South Portland, ME: $3,045 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
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South Portland, ME Living Index
184

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

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South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,045

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,045 in South Portland, ME versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

South Portland, ME $3,045
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,568 in South Portland, ME versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

South Portland, ME $4,568
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,091 in South Portland, ME versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

South Portland, ME $6,091
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in South Portland, ME costs roughly 20% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: South Portland, ME 124% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 $24.94

$25.30 $25.30

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$101 $101

16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.76 $14.76

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$6.50 $6.50

-17.69%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$3.21 $3.21

-3.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.14 $3.14

-24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.97 $7.97

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.13 $8.13

-2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.17 $1.17

-8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.30 $5.30

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$6.40 $6.40

8.75%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$5.06 $5.06

-20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$18.71 $18.71

-17.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$18.72 $18.72

-44.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$22.88 $22.88

-30.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.06 $6.06

-21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.95 $1.95

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$5.51 $5.51

0.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$6.52 $6.52

16.72%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.49 $3.49

25.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.29 $3.29

14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.80 $2.80

4.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.58 $2.58

0.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.31 $12.31

$12.49 $12.49

-1.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.87 $14.87

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$4.19 $4.19

-54.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.80 $5.80

-55.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.05 $3.05

-37.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 $51.3

$106 $106

-51.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.58 $2.58

-20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 $1.64

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.94 $10.94

$30.12 $30.12

-63.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.41 $1.41

-22.70%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.29%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.51%

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

$239 $239

$308 $308

-22.36%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$69.2 $69.2

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$86.1 $86.1

-8.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$76.5 $76.5

-47.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 $29.61

$35.50 $35.50

-16.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$18.02 $18.02

-17.04%

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

$401 $401

$2,746 $2,746

-85.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$30.6K $30.6K

-50.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$79.2 $79.2

-34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$54.3 $54.3

-5.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$127 $127

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$159 $159

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$2,508 $2,508

-21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 $1,537

$1,938 $1,938

-20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$5,117 $5,117

-38.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$3,542 $3,542

-26.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 $2,784

$7,374 $7,374

-62.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 $2,332

$5,002 $5,002

-53.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 $4,169

$6,470 $6,470

-35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.89

-3.48%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

South Portland, ME

$1.5K 50.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 26.1% $401

Groceries & Markets

South Portland, ME

$446 14.7%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 22.5% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Portland, ME

$386 12.7%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 20% $77

Eating Out

South Portland, ME

$385 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 5.6% $22

Clothing & Footwear

South Portland, ME

$152 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 24.2% $37

Sport & Entertainment

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 60.5% $42

Getting Around

South Portland, ME

$69 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 87.3% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in South Portland, ME and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 55% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $118 in South Portland, ME vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $547, with South Portland, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

07:11 7:11 AM

3 h behind South Portland, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,498

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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South Portland, ME Seattle, WA 4,000 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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South Portland, ME
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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

South Portland, ME vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Portland, ME is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in South Portland, ME. 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: $1,972 in South Portland, ME versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $118 in South Portland, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,045 per month in South Portland, ME versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. South Portland, ME 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 – South Portland, ME wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.