Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wausau, WI: $1,756 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Wausau, WI
Learn more

Wausau, WI Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,756

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,756 in Wausau, WI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Wausau, WI $1,756
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,748 in Wausau, WI versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Wausau, WI $2,748
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,740 in Wausau, WI versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Wausau, WI $3,740
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Wausau, WI costs roughly 54% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wausau, WI 30% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$24.52 $24.52

-17.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$98.2 $98.2

-24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 $8.58

$14.79 $14.79

-41.99%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$6.52 $6.52

-23.16%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$3.23 $3.23

-12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.17 $3.17

-36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$7.85 $7.85

-28.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$8.03 $8.03

-30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.21 $1.21

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.14 $5.14

-46.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$6.05 $6.05

-12.23%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.88 $4.88

-9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$19.18 $19.18

-54.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$18.91 $18.91

-65.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$23.31 $23.31

-41.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.99 $5.99

-31.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.93 $1.93

-24.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.25 $5.25

-27.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$6.57 $6.57

-37.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.62 $3.62

-50.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.31 $3.31

-26.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.78 $2.78

-20.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.51 $2.51

-58.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.35 $8.35

$12.18 $12.18

-31.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$14.83 $14.83

-39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.22 $4.22

-53.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$5.77 $5.77

-61.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.65 $2.65

2.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.72 $1.72

-5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.12 $21.12

$29.72 $29.72

-28.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.49 $1.49

-45.64%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-6.66%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.23%

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

$160 $160

$302 $302

-47.01%

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

$66.5 $66.5

$70.1 $70.1

-5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$85.3 $85.3

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 $30.10

$77.8 $77.8

-61.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 $6.03

$17.84 $17.84

-66.20%

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

$1,855 $1,855

$2,973 $2,973

-37.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$31.3K $31.3K

-21.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.25 $25.25

$76.6 $76.6

-67.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 $40.16

$54.1 $54.1

-25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 $64.0

$128 $128

-50.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 $84.8

$164 $164

-48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 $939

$2,445 $2,445

-61.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 $699

$1,947 $1,947

-64.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 $1,548

$4,744 $4,744

-67.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 $1,361

$3,469 $3,469

-60.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 $1,774

$7,367 $7,367

-75.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,809 $1,809

$5,127 $5,127

-64.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,488 $3,488

$6,506 $6,506

-46.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.89

-3.48%

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

Last update for Wausau, 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

Wausau, WI

$699 39.8%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 178% $1.2K

Eating Out

Wausau, WI

$306 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 30.5% $93

Groceries & Markets

Wausau, WI

$303 17.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 80.2% $243

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wausau, WI

$298 17%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 53.6% $160

Clothing & Footwear

Wausau, WI

$96 5.5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 97.4% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Wausau, WI

$42 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 169% $71

Getting Around

Wausau, WI

$11 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1093% $118

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Wausau, WI and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 87% 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: $75.0 in Wausau, WI vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $546 per month, with Wausau, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

23:48 11:48 PM

21:48 9:48 PM

2 h behind Wausau, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,435

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Wausau, WI Seattle, WA 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Wausau, WI
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Wausau, WI is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 87% 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: $939 in Wausau, WI versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,855 in Wausau, WI versus $2,973 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 Wausau, WI – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,756 in Wausau, WI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wausau, WI but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Wausau, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wausau, 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, Wausau, 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 Wausau, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.