Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waco, TX and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,447 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index
184

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

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Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,447 in Waco, TX versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA.

Waco, TX $2,447
Seattle, WA $3,744

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,090 in Waco, TX versus $5,703 in Seattle, WA.

Waco, TX $3,090
Seattle, WA $5,703

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,734 in Waco, TX versus $7,661 in Seattle, WA.

Waco, TX $3,734
Seattle, WA $7,661

Living in Waco, TX costs roughly 35% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waco, TX 83% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$24.56 $24.56

-38.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$99.5 $99.5

-40.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$15.30 $15.30

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$6.62 $6.62

-18.58%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$3.25 $3.25

-45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.11 $3.11

-52.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$7.77 $7.77

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 $5.52

$7.93 $7.93

-30.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.21 $1.21

-37.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 $3.16

$4.94 $4.94

-36.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$6.17 $6.17

-67.10%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$4.96 $4.96

-43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 $12.06

$19.00 $19.00

-36.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$18.69 $18.69

-48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$23.14 $23.14

-49.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.93 $5.93

-35.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.94 $1.94

-42.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$5.19 $5.19

-25.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$6.55 $6.55

-43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.62 $3.62

-37.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.16 $3.16

-9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.91 $2.91

-39.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.38 $2.38

-58.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$12.36 $12.36

-30.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 $13.49

$15.02 $15.02

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.30 $4.30

-60.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$5.69 $5.69

-33.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.05 $3.05

-49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.12 $40.12

$109 $109

-63.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 $9.93

$2.64 $2.64

276.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.74 $1.74

9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 $59.4

$30.02 $30.02

97.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.46 $1.46

-39.04%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$36.7K $36.7K

-1.41%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.7K $25.7K

-2.59%

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

$175 $175

$299 $299

-41.40%

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

$40.53 $40.53

$69.7 $69.7

-41.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 $54.7

$90.1 $90.1

-39.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.96 $27.96

$80.0 $80.0

-65.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 $9.07

$17.33 $17.33

-47.66%

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

$747 $747

$2,986 $2,986

-74.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$31.3K $31.3K

-41.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 $47.91

$77.7 $77.7

-38.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.27 $38.27

$54.9 $54.9

-30.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$126 $126

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 $95.4

$165 $165

-42.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 $1,244

$2,407 $2,407

-48.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$1,963 $1,963

-32.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$4,788 $4,788

-67.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$3,561 $3,561

-61.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 $1,970

$7,430 $7,430

-73.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,955 $1,955

$5,010 $5,010

-60.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,156 $3,156

$6,280 $6,280

-49.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.85

-5.26%

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

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6% 47.8% $635

Groceries & Markets

Waco, TX

$312 12.9%

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2% 73.1% $228

Eating Out

Waco, TX

$272 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6% 47.9% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waco, TX

$271 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1% 69.6% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Waco, TX

$120 5%

Seattle, WA

$191 5% 58.7% $71

Getting Around

Waco, TX

$66 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 101% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Waco, TX

$46 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$115 3% 149% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,244 in Waco, TX and $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 99% 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: $59.0 in Waco, TX vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $541 per month, with Waco, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:40 8:40 AM

06:40 6:40 AM

2 h behind Waco, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,486

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Waco, TX Seattle, WA 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Waco, TX
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

Waco, TX vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waco, TX is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 99% 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: $1,244 in Waco, TX versus $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Waco, TX – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,447 per month in Waco, TX versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,447 in Waco, TX versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waco, TX but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Waco, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waco, TX 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 Waco, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.