Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Union, SC: $2,296 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
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Union, SC Living Index
184

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

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Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,296

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Union, SC versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Union, SC $2,296
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,597 in Union, SC versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Union, SC $3,597
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,897 in Union, SC versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Union, SC $4,897
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Union, SC costs roughly 39% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Union, SC 69% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 $9.15

$24.52 $24.52

-62.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$98.2 $98.2

0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$14.79 $14.79

-42.46%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$6.52 $6.52

-8.28%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$3.23 $3.23

-27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.17 $3.17

-38.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 $2.80

$7.85 $7.85

-64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$8.03 $8.03

-57.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.21 $1.21

-11.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.14 $5.14

-36.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$6.05 $6.05

-59.50%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$4.88 $4.88

-32.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$19.18 $19.18

-53.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$18.91 $18.91

-29.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$23.31 $23.31

-36.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.99 $5.99

-53.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.93 $1.93

-32.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$5.25 $5.25

-38.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$6.57 $6.57

-32.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.62 $3.62

-34.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.31 $3.31

-35.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.78 $2.78

-37.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.51 $2.51

-48.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.35 $8.35

$12.18 $12.18

-31.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$14.83 $14.83

-41.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$4.22 $4.22

-57.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.77 $5.77

-10.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.95 $2.95

-29.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.65 $2.65

74.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.72 $1.72

75.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.96 $34.96

$29.72 $29.72

17.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.49 $1.49

-38.93%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.07%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-3.83%

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

$177 $177

$302 $302

-41.34%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$70.1 $70.1

-7.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.72 $45.72

$85.3 $85.3

-46.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$77.8 $77.8

-46.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$17.84 $17.84

-26.18%

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

$2,585 $2,585

$2,973 $2,973

-13.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$31.3K $31.3K

-26.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.21 $47.21

$76.6 $76.6

-38.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 $20.96

$54.1 $54.1

-61.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$128 $128

-33.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$164 $164

-39.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$2,445 $2,445

-43.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 $1,259

$1,947 $1,947

-35.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$4,744 $4,744

-53.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$3,469 $3,469

-30.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$7,367 $7,367

-63.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,125 $2,125

$5,127 $5,127

-58.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,496 $2,496

$6,506 $6,506

-61.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

-41.94%

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

Last update for Union, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 54.7% $688

Groceries & Markets

Union, SC

$332 14.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 64.5% $214

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Union, SC

$288 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 58.9% $170

Eating Out

Union, SC

$208 9.1%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 91.8% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Union, SC

$114 5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 67.3% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Union, SC

$68 3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 66.8% $45

Getting Around

Union, SC

$28 * 1.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 361% $101

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 $1,390 in Union, SC and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 161% 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: $99.0 in Union, SC vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $546, with Union, SC cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

02:32 2:32 AM

3 h behind Union, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Union, SC Seattle, WA 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Union, SC
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

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

Union, SC is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 161% 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: $1,390 in Union, SC versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,585 in Union, SC versus $2,973 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 Union, SC – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,296 in Union, SC versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Union, SC but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Union, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Union, SC 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 Union, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.