Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdez, AK and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Valdez, AK: $2,832 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Valdez, AK
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Valdez, AK Living Index
184

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

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Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,832

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,832 in Valdez, AK versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Valdez, AK $2,832
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Valdez, AK versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Valdez, AK $3,984
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,136 in Valdez, AK versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Valdez, AK $5,136
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Valdez, AK costs roughly 25% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Valdez, AK 108% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.31 $23.31

$25.30 $25.30

-7.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$101 $101

-0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.23 $20.23

$14.76 $14.76

37.06%

Cappuccino

$4.24 $4.24

$6.50 $6.50

-34.77%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$3.21 $3.21

-23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.14 $3.14

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.97 $7.97

-10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.91 $8.91

$8.13 $8.13

9.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.17 $1.17

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.30 $5.30

-33.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.40 $6.40

-32.19%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$5.06 $5.06

-20.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 $12.69

$18.71 $18.71

-32.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$18.72 $18.72

-37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 $17.11

$22.88 $22.88

-25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$6.06 $6.06

-18.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.95 $1.95

-14.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.51 $5.51

-19.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$6.52 $6.52

-27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.49 $3.49

-21.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.29 $3.29

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.80 $2.80

-21.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.58 $2.58

-12.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$12.49 $12.49

-17.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$14.87 $14.87

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$4.19 $4.19

-47.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.80 $5.80

-43.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.05 $3.05

-37.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$106 $106

-38.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.58 $2.58

9.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.64 $1.64

11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.54 $33.54

$30.12 $30.12

11.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.41 $1.41

-9.93%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$36.8K $36.8K

-20.48%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

11.72%

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

$305 $305

$308 $308

-0.88%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$69.2 $69.2

-15.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.0 $97.0

$86.1 $86.1

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.40 $39.40

$76.5 $76.5

-48.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 $14.11

$18.02 $18.02

-21.70%

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

$1,382 $1,382

$2,746 $2,746

-49.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

-25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 $46.44

$79.2 $79.2

-41.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.54 $46.54

$54.3 $54.3

-14.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 $79.9

$127 $127

-36.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$159 $159

-23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$2,508 $2,508

-34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$1,938 $1,938

-32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$5,117 $5,117

-47.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 $1,853

$3,542 $3,542

-47.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 $2,457

$7,374 $7,374

-66.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 $2,292

$5,002 $5,002

-54.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,491 $7,491

$6,470 $6,470

15.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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

Last update for Valdez, AK: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Valdez, AK

$1.3K 46.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 47.4% $623

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valdez, AK

$460 16.3%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 0.5% $2.3

Groceries & Markets

Valdez, AK

$400 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 36.6% $147

Eating Out

Valdez, AK

$370 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 9.7% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Valdez, AK

$133 4.7%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 42% $56

Getting Around

Valdez, AK

$85 3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 52.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Valdez, AK

$68 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 66.4% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Valdez, AK and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdez, AK pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Valdez, AK vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $547 per month, with Valdez, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

12:38 12:38 PM

13:38 1:38 PM

1 h ahead of Valdez, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Valdez, AK Seattle, WA 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Valdez, AK
Seattle, WA

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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

Valdez, AK vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdez, AK is about 25% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Valdez, AK, 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: $1,631 in Valdez, AK versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,382 in Valdez, AK versus $2,746 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 Valdez, AK runs roughly 38% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Valdez, AK is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.