Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Troy, NY and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Troy, NY: $2,388 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Troy, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,388
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,800
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,388 in Troy, NY versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

  • Troy, NY $2,388
  • Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,919 in Troy, NY versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

  • Troy, NY $3,919
  • Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,451 in Troy, NY versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

  • Troy, NY $5,451
  • Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Troy, NY costs roughly 37% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Troy, NY 77% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.23 $18.23
$25.32 $25.32
-28.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.9 $75.9
$101 $101
-25.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.04 $12.04
$14.85 $14.85
-18.92%
Cappuccino
$6.58 $6.58
$6.59 $6.59
-0.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$3.22 $3.22
-18.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$3.14 $3.14
-35.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.94 $6.94
$8.18 $8.18
-15.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.69 $7.69
$8.03 $8.03
-4.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.21 $1.21
-12.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.21 $3.21
$5.12 $5.12
-37.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$6.30 $6.30
-31.11%
Eggs
$3.98 $3.98
$4.90 $4.90
-18.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.13 $11.13
$19.10 $19.10
-41.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.49 $13.49
$18.50 $18.50
-27.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.59 $17.59
$23.03 $23.03
-23.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.76 $4.76
$5.81 $5.81
-18.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.95 $1.95
-28.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$5.29 $5.29
1.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$6.48 $6.48
-26.23%
Potato (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$3.57 $3.57
-15.41%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 $3.69
$3.15 $3.15
17.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 $2.20
$2.85 $2.85
-22.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.42 $2.42
-18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.27 $14.27
$12.75 $12.75
11.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.11 $14.11
$14.99 $14.99
-5.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$4.17 $4.17
-50.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 $3.99
$5.99 $5.99
-33.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.29 $1.29
$3.04 $3.04
-57.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.6 $64.6
$110 $110
-41.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 $3.77
$2.55 $2.55
47.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.64 $1.64
-15.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.54 $30.54
$29.58 $29.58
3.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.42 $1.42
-21.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K $35.6K
$35.7K $35.7K
-0.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$25.6K $25.6K
1.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$299 $299
-28.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.3 $59.3
$70.8 $70.8
-16.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.9 $74.9
$88.3 $88.3
-15.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.04 $44.04
$79.5 $79.5
-44.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.37 $35.37
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.16 $15.16
$17.12 $17.12
-11.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,502 $1,502
$3,013 $3,013
-50.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.2K $17.2K
$31.6K $31.6K
-45.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7 $54.7
$77.2 $77.2
-29.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.68 $47.68
$55.1 $55.1
-13.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.5 $99.5
$126 $126
-20.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 $123
$163 $163
-24.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 $1,293
$2,464 $2,464
-47.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 $1,006
$1,956 $1,956
-48.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,046 $3,046
$4,711 $4,711
-35.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,439 $2,439
$3,550 $3,550
-31.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,537 $2,537
$7,346 $7,346
-65.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,516 $2,516
$5,048 $5,048
-50.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Troy, NY
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,603 $7,603
$6,286 $6,286
20.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
6.85
-2.77%

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

Last update for Troy, NY: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Troy, NY
$1K
Seattle, WA
$2K 94.4% $950
Groceries & Markets
Troy, NY
$403
Seattle, WA
$542 34.5% $139
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Troy, NY
$348
Seattle, WA
$458 31.6% $110
Eating Out
Troy, NY
$330
Seattle, WA
$409 24% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Troy, NY
$146
Seattle, WA
$189 29.6% $43
Getting Around
Troy, NY
$80
Seattle, WA
$133 65.3% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Troy, NY
$74
Seattle, WA
$114 53% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,293 in Troy, NY and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Troy, NY pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Troy, NY vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $542 per month, with Troy, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Troy, NY
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
11:22 11:22 AM
08:22 8:22 AM
3 h behind Troy, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
51,401
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Troy, NY Seattle, WA 3,790 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Troy, NY
  • 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
Troy, NY vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seattle, WA cheaper than Troy, NY?
Troy, NY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Troy, NY or Seattle, WA?
Average pay runs 21% higher in Troy, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Troy, NY and Seattle, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,293 in Troy, NY versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Troy, NY or in Seattle, WA?
Dining out is cheaper in Troy, NY – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Troy, NY and in Seattle, WA?
All in, you'll spend $2,388 per month in Troy, NY versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Troy, NY or in Seattle, WA?
At $2,388 in Troy, NY versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Troy, NY but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Troy, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Troy, NY or Seattle, WA more family-friendly?
For families, Troy, NY 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Troy, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Troy, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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