Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stafford, VA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Stafford, VA: $2,568 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Stafford, VA
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Stafford, VA Living Index
184

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

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Stafford, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,568 in Stafford, VA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Stafford, VA $2,568
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,011 in Stafford, VA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Stafford, VA $4,011
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Stafford, VA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Stafford, VA $5,454
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Stafford, VA costs roughly 32% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stafford, VA 89% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$25.30 $25.30

-35.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 $107

$101 $101

5.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$14.76 $14.76

-18.83%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$6.50 $6.50

-17.23%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$3.21 $3.21

-2.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.14 $3.14

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.97 $7.97

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.13 $8.13

21.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.17 $1.17

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$5.30 $5.30

-42.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.19 $7.19

$6.40 $6.40

12.34%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

$18.71 $18.71

-7.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$18.72 $18.72

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 $18.41

$22.88 $22.88

-19.54%

Apples (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$6.06 $6.06

16.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.95 $1.95

17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.51 $5.51

-7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.52 $6.52

-8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.49 $3.49

-19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.29 $3.29

13.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.80 $2.80

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.58 $2.58

7.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 $14.05

$12.49 $12.49

12.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 $16.11

$14.87 $14.87

8.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.19 $4.19

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$5.80 $5.80

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.58 $2.58

56.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.64 $1.64

-1.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 $25.50

$30.12 $30.12

-15.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.41 $1.41

-24.11%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-6.24%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.12%

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

$137 $137

$308 $308

-55.35%

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

$81.7 $81.7

$69.2 $69.2

18.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 $79.3

$86.1 $86.1

-7.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$18.02 $18.02

-0.94%

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

$2,906 $2,906

$2,746 $2,746

5.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.8K $40.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

33.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 $72.2

$79.2 $79.2

-8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 $44.78

$54.3 $54.3

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$127 $127

-16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$159 $159

-21.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 $1,767

$2,508 $2,508

-29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$1,938 $1,938

-33.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$5,117 $5,117

-48.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$3,542 $3,542

-32.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 $3,271

$5,002 $5,002

-34.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,504 $7,504

$6,470 $6,470

15.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

-12.92%

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

Last update for Stafford, VA: 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

Stafford, VA

$1.3K 50%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 51.1% $655

Groceries & Markets

Stafford, VA

$475 18.5%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 15.3% $72

Eating Out

Stafford, VA

$308 12%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 32% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stafford, VA

$298 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 55.1% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Stafford, VA

$157 6.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 20.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Stafford, VA

$36 * 1.4%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 215% $77

Getting Around

Stafford, VA

$12 * 0.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 961% $117

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 $1,767 in Stafford, VA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stafford, VA pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $107 in Stafford, VA vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $475 vs $547, with Stafford, VA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Stafford, VA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:13 7:13 PM

16:13 4:13 PM

3 h behind Stafford, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,693

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Stafford, VA Seattle, WA 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Stafford, VA
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

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

Stafford, VA is about 32% cheaper overall, especially in transport, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Stafford, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,767 in Stafford, VA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,906 in Stafford, VA versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $107 in Stafford, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Stafford, VA 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.