Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in University Place, WA: $2,876 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index
182

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

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University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,876 in University Place, WA versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

University Place, WA $2,876
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,279 in University Place, WA versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

University Place, WA $4,279
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,682 in University Place, WA versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

University Place, WA $5,682
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in University Place, WA costs roughly 24% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: University Place, WA 113% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.38 $23.38

$23.80 $23.80

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$98.6 $98.6

2.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$14.94 $14.94

-18.67%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$6.79 $6.79

-10.46%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.23 $3.23

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.15 $3.15

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$8.21 $8.21

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$7.87 $7.87

-0.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 $1.17

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$5.29 $5.29

-23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.76 $5.76

3.30%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.89 $4.89

1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 $16.11

$20.25 $20.25

-20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.19 $18.19

$17.95 $17.95

1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.33 $23.33

$23.35 $23.35

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.94 $5.94

-0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.89 $1.89

-6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$5.35 $5.35

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$6.57 $6.57

-31.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.39 $3.39

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.88 $2.88

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.89 $2.89

-32.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.43 $2.43

25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.43 $12.43

$12.18 $12.18

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 $18.17

$15.24 $15.24

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.38 $4.38

-60.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.89 $5.89

-15.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.96 $2.96

-28.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

$109 $109

-39.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.52 $2.52

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.72 $1.72

-1.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.49 $30.49

$29.70 $29.70

2.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.51 $1.51

-3.97%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-22.89%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.08%

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

$233 $233

$289 $289

-19.30%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$69.1 $69.1

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.6 $88.6

$84.8 $84.8

4.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$69.4 $69.4

-43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 $17.88

$17.97 $17.97

-0.50%

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

$2,087 $2,087

$2,819 $2,819

-25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K $27.9K

$43.9K $43.9K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$91.2 $91.2

-33.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.90 $44.90

$55.1 $55.1

-18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 $130

$127 $127

2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$162 $162

-21.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$2,579 $2,579

-39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$1,943 $1,943

-34.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$5,100 $5,100

-49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 $2,111

$3,541 $3,541

-40.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,918 $2,918

$7,357 $7,357

-60.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,644 $2,644

$4,921 $4,921

-46.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,149 $8,149

$6,448 $6,448

26.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.8

-2.35%

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

Last update for University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

University Place, WA

$1.3K 44.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 51.7% $662

Groceries & Markets

University Place, WA

$505 17.6%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 7.7% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

University Place, WA

$390 13.6%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 13.4% $52

Eating Out

University Place, WA

$377 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 5.9% $22

Clothing & Footwear

University Place, WA

$163 5.7%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 20.1% $33

Getting Around

University Place, WA

$85 3%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 54.8% $47

Sport & Entertainment

University Place, WA

$75 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 39.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in University Place, WA and $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

University Place, WA pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in University Place, WA vs $99 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $505 vs $544, with University Place, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:57 10:57 AM

Same time as University Place, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,866

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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University Place, WA Seattle, WA 45 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

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

University Place, WA is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in transport, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in University Place, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,573 in University Place, WA versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,087 in University Place, WA versus $2,819 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in University Place, WA runs roughly 40% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.