Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Staunton, VA: $2,159 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

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

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

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Staunton, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,159

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,159 in Staunton, VA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Staunton, VA $2,159
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,278 in Staunton, VA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Staunton, VA $3,278
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Staunton, VA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Staunton, VA $4,397
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Staunton, VA 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: Staunton, VA 59% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$25.30 $25.30

-22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$101 $101

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 $12.75

$14.76 $14.76

-13.62%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.50 $6.50

-13.08%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.21 $3.21

-5.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.14 $3.14

-20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$7.97 $7.97

-50.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 $5.62

$8.13 $8.13

-30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.17 $1.17

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.30 $5.30

-36.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$6.40 $6.40

-40.16%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$5.06 $5.06

-9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$18.71 $18.71

-39.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$18.72 $18.72

-16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$22.88 $22.88

-33.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.06 $6.06

4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.95 $1.95

-23.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.51 $5.51

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$6.52 $6.52

-37.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.49 $3.49

-38.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.29 $3.29

-16.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.80 $2.80

-27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.58 $2.58

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$12.49 $12.49

-26.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 $15.70

$14.87 $14.87

5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.19 $4.19

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$5.80 $5.80

-43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.58 $2.58

89.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.64 $1.64

79.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.25 $35.25

$30.12 $30.12

17.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.41 $1.41

-36.17%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$36.8K $36.8K

-36.54%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-10.31%

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

$173 $173

$308 $308

-43.72%

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

$39.63 $39.63

$69.2 $69.2

-42.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 $29.58

$86.1 $86.1

-65.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 $43.85

$76.5 $76.5

-42.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 $13.41

$18.02 $18.02

-25.58%

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

$3,116 $3,116

$2,746 $2,746

13.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$65.3K $65.3K

$30.6K $30.6K

113.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 $86.5

$79.2 $79.2

9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 $55.8

$54.3 $54.3

2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 $142

$127 $127

12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$159 $159

-4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$2,508 $2,508

-46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 $904

$1,938 $1,938

-53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 $1,646

$5,117 $5,117

-67.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 $1,510

$3,542 $3,542

-57.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 $2,222

$7,374 $7,374

-69.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 $2,237

$5,002 $5,002

-55.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,974 $3,974

$6,470 $6,470

-38.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.99

6.89

1.45%

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

Last update for Staunton, VA: 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

Staunton, VA

$904 41.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 114% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Staunton, VA

$410 19%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 33.5% $137

Eating Out

Staunton, VA

$316 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 28.6% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Staunton, VA

$242 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 91% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Staunton, VA

$197 9.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 4% $8

Sport & Entertainment

Staunton, VA

$71 3.3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 59.2% $42

Getting Around

Staunton, VA

$20 * 0.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 558% $109

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 $1,344 in Staunton, VA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 63% 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: $81 in Staunton, VA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $547 per month, with Staunton, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Staunton, VA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

19:56 7:56 PM

3 h behind Staunton, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,528

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Staunton, VA Seattle, WA 3,630 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Staunton, 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

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

Staunton, VA is about 43% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Staunton, VA. 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: $1,344 in Staunton, VA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,116 in Staunton, 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 Staunton, VA – a meal for two runs $81 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,159 in Staunton, VA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Staunton, VA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Staunton, VA 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.

It comes down to priorities – Staunton, VA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.