Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacoma, WA: $3,008 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

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

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

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Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,008

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,008 in Tacoma, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Tacoma, WA $3,008
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,371 in Tacoma, WA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Tacoma, WA $4,371
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,735 in Tacoma, WA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Tacoma, WA $5,735
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Tacoma, WA costs roughly 21% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tacoma, WA 121% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.28 $25.28

$25.30 $25.30

-0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 $80.9

$101 $101

-19.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.76 $14.76

-17.75%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$6.50 $6.50

-13.69%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$3.21 $3.21

-3.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.14 $3.14

-15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.97 $7.97

-12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$8.13 $8.13

-14.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 $1.17

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.30 $5.30

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.40 $6.40

-8.91%

Eggs

$5.69 $5.69

$5.06 $5.06

12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$18.71 $18.71

-15.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$18.72 $18.72

-15.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.45 $23.45

$22.88 $22.88

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$6.06 $6.06

-17.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.95 $1.95

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.51 $5.51

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.52 $6.52

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.49 $3.49

-22.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.29 $3.29

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.80 $2.80

-38.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.58 $2.58

26.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.49 $12.49

-3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 $18.35

$14.87 $14.87

23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$4.19 $4.19

-57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.80 $5.80

-13.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.05 $3.05

-33.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 $62.6

$106 $106

-40.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.58 $2.58

-1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.64 $1.64

3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$30.12 $30.12

-1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.41 $1.41

-6.38%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-23.27%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

2.08%

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

$230 $230

$308 $308

-25.08%

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

$91.1 $91.1

$69.2 $69.2

31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 $86.7

$86.1 $86.1

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.12 $36.12

$76.5 $76.5

-52.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 $18.09

$35.50 $35.50

-49.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.97 $13.97

$18.02 $18.02

-22.48%

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

$2,085 $2,085

$2,746 $2,746

-24.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

6.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 $61.9

$79.2 $79.2

-21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 $44.73

$54.3 $54.3

-17.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$127 $127

-31.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$159 $159

-18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 $1,735

$2,508 $2,508

-30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$1,938 $1,938

-25.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,699 $2,699

$5,117 $5,117

-47.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 $2,309

$3,542 $3,542

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,794 $4,794

$7,374 $7,374

-34.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,251 $3,251

$5,002 $5,002

-35.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,927 $4,927

$6,470 $6,470

-23.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.89

-3.63%

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

Last update for Tacoma, WA: 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

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 48%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 34.3% $495

Groceries & Markets

Tacoma, WA

$487 16.2%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 12.2% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tacoma, WA

$408 13.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 13.4% $55

Eating Out

Tacoma, WA

$378 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 7.6% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Tacoma, WA

$145 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 29.9% $43

Getting Around

Tacoma, WA

$82 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 57.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Tacoma, WA

$64 2.1%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 75.6% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,735 in Tacoma, WA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in Tacoma, WA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $487 vs $547 per month, with Tacoma, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

23:13 11:13 PM

Same time as Tacoma, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

219,346

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Tacoma, WA Seattle, WA 41 km

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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

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

Tacoma, WA is about 21% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Tacoma, 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: $1,735 in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA – 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.

All in, you’ll spend $3,008 per month in Tacoma, WA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Tacoma, WA is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Tacoma, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.