Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,873 in Washington, DC versus $3,886 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,222 in Washington, DC versus $5,699 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,571 in Washington, DC versus $7,513 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs are close between Washington, DC and Seattle, WA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, DC 181% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.05 $28.05

$25.37 $25.37

10.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$101 $101

18.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$14.80 $14.80

-17.36%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$6.63 $6.63

-7.84%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.08 $3.08

1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.96 $2.96

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.94 $7.94

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 $9.87

$7.88 $7.88

25.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.22 $1.22

3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.14 $5.14

-19.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.16 $6.16

16.07%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$5.08 $5.08

11.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.40 $17.40

$21.31 $21.31

-18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$18.42 $18.42

-9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$23.04 $23.04

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$7.19 $7.19

$6.04 $6.04

19.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.88 $1.88

26.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.20 $5.20

-5.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$6.37 $6.37

-9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.78 $3.78

-24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.30 $3.30

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.87 $2.87

-9.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.66 $2.66

0.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 $14.01

$13.91 $13.91

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 $15.87

$15.05 $15.05

5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.17 $4.17

-20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.64 $5.64

3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.97 $2.97

12.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 $119

$107 $107

10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.57 $2.57

59.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.65 $1.65

-2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$29.49 $29.49

-13.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.46 $1.46

-26.03%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.20%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.89%

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

$206 $206

$306 $306

-32.84%

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

$82.3 $82.3

$70.2 $70.2

17.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$87.4 $87.4

-12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$79.9 $79.9

50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.2 $74.2

$34.74 $34.74

113.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.64 $17.64

$17.85 $17.85

-1.18%

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

$3,193 $3,193

$3,018 $3,018

5.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.3K $41.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

32.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 $72.6

$76.6 $76.6

-5.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 $43.42

$53.8 $53.8

-19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$126 $126

-17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$162 $162

-23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 $2,634

$2,456 $2,456

7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$1,981 $1,981

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,234 $5,234

$4,881 $4,881

7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,531 $4,531

$3,625 $3,625

24.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,538 $8,538

$7,376 $7,376

15.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,585 $3,585

$5,007 $5,007

-28.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,376 $6,376

$6,165 $6,165

3.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

6.45

-3.41%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: September 7, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,634 in Washington, DC and $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $119 in Washington, DC vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $515 vs $551, with Washington, DC cheaper for home cooking.

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

Washington, DC vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 3% higher in Washington, DC, 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: $2,634 in Washington, DC versus $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,193 in Washington, DC versus $3,018 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 Washington, DC – a meal for two runs $119 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Washington, DC 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.

It comes down to priorities – Washington, DC wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.