Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Spokane, WA: $2,601 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA Living Index
184

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

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Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,601

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,601 in Spokane, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Spokane, WA $2,601
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Spokane, WA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Spokane, WA $3,839
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,076 in Spokane, WA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Spokane, WA $5,076
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Spokane, WA costs roughly 31% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Spokane, WA 91% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$25.30 $25.30

-22.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$101 $101

-25.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$14.76 $14.76

-13.01%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$6.50 $6.50

-22.92%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.21 $3.21

-24.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.14 $3.14

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$7.97 $7.97

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$8.13 $8.13

-23.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.17 $1.17

-20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.30 $5.30

-38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$6.40 $6.40

-26.88%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$5.06 $5.06

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 $15.79

$18.71 $18.71

-15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$18.72 $18.72

-27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$22.88 $22.88

-27.19%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.06 $6.06

4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.95 $1.95

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.51 $5.51

-1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.52 $6.52

-13.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.49 $3.49

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.29 $3.29

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.80 $2.80

-26.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.58 $2.58

-28.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.49 $12.49

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$14.87 $14.87

-4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$4.19 $4.19

-55.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.80 $5.80

-17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.05 $3.05

-36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$106 $106

-42.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.58 $2.58

98.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.64 $1.64

4.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.78 $39.78

$30.12 $30.12

32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.41 $1.41

-3.55%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-24.48%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.74%

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

$174 $174

$308 $308

-43.34%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$69.2 $69.2

9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$86.1 $86.1

-14.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 $44.38

$76.5 $76.5

-41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$35.50 $35.50

-58.20%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 $16.13

$18.02 $18.02

-10.49%

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

$1,403 $1,403

$2,746 $2,746

-48.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

-30.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

$79.2 $79.2

-33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 $49.55

$54.3 $54.3

-8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$127 $127

-8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$159 $159

-9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$2,508 $2,508

-35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$1,938 $1,938

-38.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 $3,093

$5,117 $5,117

-39.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$3,542 $3,542

-44.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,290 $3,290

$7,374 $7,374

-55.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,276 $2,276

$5,002 $5,002

-54.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$6,470 $6,470

-31.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.89

-1.89%

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

Last update for Spokane, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Spokane, WA

$1.2K 46.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 61.6% $739

Groceries & Markets

Spokane, WA

$434 16.7%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 26% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Spokane, WA

$324 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 42.8% $139

Eating Out

Spokane, WA

$321 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 26.4% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Spokane, WA

$163 6.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 15.7% $26

Getting Around

Spokane, WA

$82 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 57% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Spokane, WA

$77 3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 46.8% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Spokane, WA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75 in Spokane, WA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $547 per month, with Spokane, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

Same time as Spokane, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

228,989

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Spokane, WA Seattle, WA 370 km

From you

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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

Spokane, WA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spokane, WA is about 31% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Spokane, 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: $1,625 in Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA – a meal for two runs $75 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,601 per month in Spokane, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Spokane, WA is about 31% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,601 in Spokane, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Spokane, WA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.