Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taos, NM and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Taos, NM: $2,793 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

135

Cost of Living Index in Taos, NM
Learn more

Taos, NM Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Taos, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,793

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,793 in Taos, NM versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Taos, NM $2,793
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,132 in Taos, NM versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Taos, NM $4,132
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,471 in Taos, NM versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Taos, NM $5,471
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Taos, NM costs roughly 27% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Taos, NM 107% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.74 $16.74

$25.32 $25.32

-33.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 $67.1

$101 $101

-33.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 $9.52

$14.85 $14.85

-35.89%

Cappuccino

$3.98 $3.98

$6.59 $6.59

-39.61%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$3.22 $3.22

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.14 $3.14

-29.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$8.18 $8.18

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$8.03 $8.03

-32.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.21 $1.21

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.12 $5.12

-39.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.30 $6.30

-31.11%

Eggs

$3.99 $3.99

$4.90 $4.90

-18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$19.10 $19.10

-37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$18.50 $18.50

-47.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$23.03 $23.03

-51.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$5.81 $5.81

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.95 $1.95

-25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$5.29 $5.29

-19.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.48 $6.48

-21.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.57 $3.57

-13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.15 $3.15

3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.85 $2.85

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.42 $2.42

2.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$12.75 $12.75

-17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 $13.72

$14.99 $14.99

-8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.17 $4.17

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.99 $5.99

-46.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.55 $2.55

44.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.64 $1.64

24.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.20 $32.20

$29.58 $29.58

8.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.42 $1.42

-33.10%

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

$30.6K $30.6K

$35.7K $35.7K

-14.50%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

-4.49%

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

$161 $161

$299 $299

-46.31%

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

$62.8 $62.8

$70.8 $70.8

-11.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$88.3 $88.3

-30.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 $95.3

$79.5 $79.5

19.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 $8.63

$17.12 $17.12

-49.59%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$3,013 $3,013

-49.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$31.6K $31.6K

-20.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$77.2 $77.2

-29.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.88 $43.88

$55.1 $55.1

-20.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$126 $126

-17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$163 $163

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$2,464 $2,464

-26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,956 $1,956

-17.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,497 $3,497

$4,711 $4,711

-25.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,853 $2,853

$3,550 $3,550

-19.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,366 $4,366

$7,346 $7,346

-40.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 $4,376

$5,048 $5,048

-13.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,687 $2,687

$6,286 $6,286

-57.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.85

-8.03%

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

Last update for Taos, NM: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Taos, NM

$1.6K 57.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 21.7% $348

Groceries & Markets

Taos, NM

$365 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 48.4% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taos, NM

$285 10.2%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 60.8% $173

Eating Out

Taos, NM

$264 9.5%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 54.7% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Taos, NM

$145 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 30.7% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Taos, NM

$113 4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 1% $1.2

Getting Around

Taos, NM

$14 * 0.5%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 856% $119

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 $1,806 in Taos, NM and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 134% 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: $67.0 in Taos, NM vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $542 per month, with Taos, NM cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Taos, NM

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

23:48 11:48 PM

1 h behind Taos, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Taos, NM Seattle, WA 1,850 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Taos, NM
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Taos, NM is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Seattle, 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: $1,806 in Taos, NM versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,509 in Taos, NM versus $3,013 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 Taos, NM – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Taos, NM 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 Taos, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.