Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Palm Beach, FL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in West Palm Beach, FL: $3,217 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

155

Cost of Living Index in West Palm Beach, FL
Learn more

West Palm Beach, FL Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

West Palm Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,217

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in West Palm Beach, FL 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 West Palm Beach, FL and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,217 in West Palm Beach, FL versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

West Palm Beach, FL $3,217
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,825 in West Palm Beach, FL versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

West Palm Beach, FL $4,825
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,433 in West Palm Beach, FL versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

West Palm Beach, FL $6,433
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in West Palm Beach, FL costs roughly 15% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: West Palm Beach, FL 136% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 $21.09

$25.30 $25.30

-16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$101 $101

-19.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$14.76 $14.76

-18.90%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$6.50 $6.50

-16.92%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$3.21 $3.21

-23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.14 $3.14

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$7.97 $7.97

-26.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$8.13 $8.13

0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.17 $1.17

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.30 $5.30

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$6.40 $6.40

-47.50%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$5.06 $5.06

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$18.71 $18.71

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$18.72 $18.72

-40.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.16 $18.16

$22.88 $22.88

-20.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$6.06 $6.06

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.95 $1.95

-11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$5.51 $5.51

-46.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$6.52 $6.52

-27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.49 $3.49

-10.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.29 $3.29

1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.80 $2.80

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.58 $2.58

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$12.49 $12.49

-23.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 $12.87

$14.87 $14.87

-13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$4.19 $4.19

-58.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.80 $5.80

-35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.05 $3.05

-33.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 $68.8

$106 $106

-35.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.58 $2.58

13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.64 $1.64

12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 $34.88

$30.12 $30.12

15.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.41 $1.41

-29.08%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$36.8K $36.8K

-23.73%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.15%

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

$201 $201

$308 $308

-34.51%

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

$63.9 $63.9

$69.2 $69.2

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$86.1 $86.1

-11.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.67 $41.67

$76.5 $76.5

-45.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.98 $24.98

$35.50 $35.50

-29.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 $10.10

$18.02 $18.02

-43.95%

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

$1,488 $1,488

$2,746 $2,746

-45.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

-30.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$79.2 $79.2

-19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 $40.88

$54.3 $54.3

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$127 $127

-25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$159 $159

-30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 $2,624

$2,508 $2,508

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 $1,870

$1,938 $1,938

-3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,348 $5,348

$5,117 $5,117

4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,427 $3,427

$3,542 $3,542

-3.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,343 $5,343

$7,374 $7,374

-27.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,324 $3,324

$5,002 $5,002

-33.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,976 $3,976

$6,470 $6,470

-38.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.89

-4.79%

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

Last update for West Palm Beach, FL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

West Palm Beach, FL

$1.9K 58.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 3.6% $68

Groceries & Markets

West Palm Beach, FL

$382 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 43.1% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Palm Beach, FL

$342 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 35.5% $121

Eating Out

West Palm Beach, FL

$332 10.3%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 22.4% $74

Clothing & Footwear

West Palm Beach, FL

$140 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 35.2% $49

Getting Around

West Palm Beach, FL

$89 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 44.7% $40

Sport & Entertainment

West Palm Beach, FL

$62 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 81.8% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,624 in West Palm Beach, FL and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 63% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in West Palm Beach, FL vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $547 per month, with West Palm Beach, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Palm Beach, FL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

03:24 3:24 AM

00:24 12:24 AM

3 h behind West Palm Beach, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,415

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

West Palm Beach, FL Seattle, WA 4,330 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

West Palm Beach, FL
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

West Palm Beach, FL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

West Palm Beach, FL is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in West Palm Beach, FL. 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: $2,624 in West Palm Beach, FL versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in West Palm Beach, FL – a meal for two runs $81 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,217 per month in West Palm Beach, FL versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – West Palm Beach, FL is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. West Palm Beach, FL 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.

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