Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waukesha, WI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Waukesha, WI: $2,030 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Waukesha, WI
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Waukesha, WI Living Index
184

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

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Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,030

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,030 in Waukesha, WI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Waukesha, WI $2,030
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Waukesha, WI versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Waukesha, WI $2,967
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,905 in Waukesha, WI versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Waukesha, WI $3,905
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Waukesha, WI costs roughly 46% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waukesha, WI 50% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 $16.70

$24.52 $24.52

-31.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$98.2 $98.2

-22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 $10.99

$14.79 $14.79

-25.69%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$6.52 $6.52

-25.15%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.23 $3.23

-13.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.85 $7.85

-22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$8.03 $8.03

-15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.21 $1.21

-33.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$5.14 $5.14

-34.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$6.05 $6.05

-26.28%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$4.88 $4.88

-26.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$19.18 $19.18

-52.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$18.91 $18.91

-40.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$23.31 $23.31

-28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.99 $5.99

-11.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.93 $1.93

-11.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$5.25 $5.25

-31.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.57 $6.57

-21.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.62 $3.62

-51.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.31 $3.31

-21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.78 $2.78

-42.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.51 $2.51

-25.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 $8.39

$12.18 $12.18

-31.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 $10.90

$14.83 $14.83

-26.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$4.22 $4.22

-58.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$5.77 $5.77

-41.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.95 $2.95

-30.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 $50.0

$106 $106

-52.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.65 $2.65

8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.72 $1.72

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.09 $21.09

$29.72 $29.72

-29.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 $1.49

-31.54%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-30.51%

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)

$200 $200

$302 $302

-33.61%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$70.1 $70.1

-26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$85.3 $85.3

-29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 $50.3

$77.8 $77.8

-35.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$17.84 $17.84

-21.19%

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

$1,472 $1,472

$2,973 $2,973

-50.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$31.3K $31.3K

-22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$76.6 $76.6

-30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$54.1 $54.1

-24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$128 $128

-30.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 $76.3

$164 $164

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$2,445 $2,445

-58.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$1,947 $1,947

-58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$4,744 $4,744

-65.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$3,469 $3,469

-65.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 $2,430

$7,367 $7,367

-67.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$5,127 $5,127

-53.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 $4,340

$6,506 $6,506

-33.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.89

-5.22%

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

Last update for Waukesha, WI: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waukesha, WI

$805 39.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 142% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Waukesha, WI

$361 17.8%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 51.2% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waukesha, WI

$312 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 46.5% $145

Eating Out

Waukesha, WI

$288 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 38.8% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Waukesha, WI

$117 5.8%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 63% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Waukesha, WI

$78 3.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 44.7% $35

Getting Around

Waukesha, WI

$69 3.4%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 86.7% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Waukesha, WI and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 50% 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: $76.0 in Waukesha, WI vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $546 per month, with Waukesha, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

20:57 8:57 PM

2 h behind Waukesha, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

71,158

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Waukesha, WI Seattle, WA 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

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Waukesha, WI
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Waukesha, WI vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waukesha, WI is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 50% 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: $1,006 in Waukesha, WI versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Waukesha, WI – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,030 per month in Waukesha, WI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,030 in Waukesha, WI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waukesha, WI but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Waukesha, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waukesha, WI 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.

Safety-wise, Waukesha, WI and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Waukesha, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.