Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in The Dalles, OR: $2,414 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in The Dalles, OR
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The Dalles, OR Living Index
184

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

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The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,414 in The Dalles, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

The Dalles, OR $2,414
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,667 in The Dalles, OR versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

The Dalles, OR $3,667
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,921 in The Dalles, OR versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

The Dalles, OR $4,921
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in The Dalles, OR costs roughly 36% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Dalles, OR 77% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$25.30 $25.30

-21.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 $93.8

$101 $101

-7.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.76 $14.76

-17.75%

Cappuccino

$4.48 $4.48

$6.50 $6.50

-31.08%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.21 $3.21

-24.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.14 $3.14

-32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.97 $7.97

-38.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.13 $8.13

-12.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$5.30 $5.30

-38.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.40 $6.40

-36.56%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$5.06 $5.06

-41.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 $14.94

$18.71 $18.71

-20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$18.72 $18.72

-24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$22.88 $22.88

-51.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.06 $6.06

-21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.95 $1.95

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$5.51 $5.51

-29.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$6.52 $6.52

-38.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.49 $3.49

-10.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.29 $3.29

1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.80 $2.80

-36.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.58 $2.58

-21.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 $11.28

$12.49 $12.49

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$14.87 $14.87

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.19 $4.19

-59.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$5.80 $5.80

-48.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.05 $3.05

-32.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$106 $106

-44.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.58 $2.58

36.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.64 $1.64

34.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.16 $49.16

$30.12 $30.12

63.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.41 $1.41

-12.77%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-31.49%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.6K $26.6K

-7.82%

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

$188 $188

$308 $308

-38.91%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$69.2 $69.2

-13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$86.1 $86.1

-17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.12 $40.12

$76.5 $76.5

-47.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$18.02 $18.02

-33.85%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$2,746 $2,746

-63.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$30.6K $30.6K

-46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.48 $40.48

$79.2 $79.2

-48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 $34.67

$54.3 $54.3

-36.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 $60.1

$127 $127

-52.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 $80.1

$159 $159

-49.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$2,508 $2,508

-37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 $1,163

$1,938 $1,938

-39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 $2,589

$5,117 $5,117

-49.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 $2,067

$3,542 $3,542

-41.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$7,374 $7,374

-66.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 $2,112

$5,002 $5,002

-57.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,842 $3,842

$6,470 $6,470

-40.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.89

-4.35%

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

Last update for The Dalles, OR: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

The Dalles, OR

$1.2K 48.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 66.6% $775

Groceries & Markets

The Dalles, OR

$382 15.8%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 43.1% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

The Dalles, OR

$319 13.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 45.1% $144

Eating Out

The Dalles, OR

$307 12.7%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 32.5% $100

Clothing & Footwear

The Dalles, OR

$97 4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 94.6% $92

Getting Around

The Dalles, OR

$82 3.4%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 57.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

The Dalles, OR

$64 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 75.8% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,565 in The Dalles, OR and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 68% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $94 in The Dalles, OR vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $547 per month, with The Dalles, OR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

Same time as The Dalles, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,783

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

The Dalles, OR Seattle, WA 240 km

From you

The Dalles, OR
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

The Dalles, OR vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Dalles, OR is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in The Dalles, OR. 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: $1,565 in The Dalles, OR 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 The Dalles, OR – a meal for two runs $94 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,414 per month in The Dalles, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,414 in The Dalles, OR versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in The Dalles, OR but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes The Dalles, OR 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 The Dalles, OR 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.