Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wilmington, DE and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, DE: $2,557 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, DE
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Wilmington, DE Living Index
182

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

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Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,557

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Wilmington, DE versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, DE $2,557
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,433 in Wilmington, DE versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, DE $3,433
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,309 in Wilmington, DE versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, DE $4,309
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in Wilmington, DE costs roughly 32% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wilmington, DE 89% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$23.80 $23.80

-15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$98.6 $98.6

-24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 $10.30

$14.94 $14.94

-31.06%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$6.79 $6.79

-27.10%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$3.23 $3.23

-32.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$3.15 $3.15

-58.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 $4.05

$8.21 $8.21

-50.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 $6.13

$7.87 $7.87

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.17 $1.17

-3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$5.29 $5.29

-42.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.76 $5.76

-52.08%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$4.89 $4.89

-37.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$20.25 $20.25

-53.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$17.95 $17.95

-52.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$23.35 $23.35

-37.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$5.94 $5.94

-22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.89 $1.89

-30.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.35 $5.35

-17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$6.57 $6.57

-41.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.39 $3.39

-25.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.88 $2.88

-14.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.89 $2.89

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.43 $2.43

-59.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$12.18 $12.18

-18.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 $12.96

$15.24 $15.24

-14.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$4.38 $4.38

-44.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$5.89 $5.89

-37.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.96 $2.96

-30.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$109 $109

-44.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.52 $2.52

54.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.72 $1.72

-7.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.47 $27.47

$29.70 $29.70

-7.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.51 $1.51

-29.80%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$36.2K $36.2K

-24.61%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.24%

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

$270 $270

$289 $289

-6.52%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$69.1 $69.1

-26.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 $59.8

$84.8 $84.8

-29.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.69 $24.69

$69.4 $69.4

-64.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 $15.19

$35.05 $35.05

-56.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$17.97 $17.97

-33.95%

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

$1,605 $1,605

$2,819 $2,819

-43.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K $25.7K

$43.9K $43.9K

-41.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 $36.92

$91.2 $91.2

-59.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 $47.59

$55.1 $55.1

-13.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$127 $127

-33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 $90.8

$162 $162

-43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 $1,729

$2,579 $2,579

-32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,943 $1,943

-32.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 $2,728

$5,100 $5,100

-46.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$3,541 $3,541

-54.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,215 $2,215

$7,357 $7,357

-69.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,081 $2,081

$4,921 $4,921

-57.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,946 $3,946

$6,448 $6,448

-38.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.8

-7.35%

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

Last update for Wilmington, DE: November 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wilmington, DE

$1.3K 51.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 48.5% $635

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wilmington, DE

$380 14.9%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 16.3% $62

Groceries & Markets

Wilmington, DE

$325 12.7%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 67.1% $218

Eating Out

Wilmington, DE

$297 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 34.3% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Wilmington, DE

$117 4.6%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 67.9% $79

Getting Around

Wilmington, DE

$80 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 64.7% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Wilmington, DE

$48 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 118% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,729 in Wilmington, DE and $2,579 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: $75 in Wilmington, DE vs $99 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $544 per month, with Wilmington, DE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

10:35 10:35 AM

07:35 7:35 AM

3 h behind Wilmington, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,826

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Wilmington, DE Seattle, WA 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Wilmington, DE
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

Wilmington, DE vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wilmington, DE is about 32% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Wilmington, DE. 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: $1,729 in Wilmington, DE versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wilmington, DE – a meal for two runs $75 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,557 per month in Wilmington, DE versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA – Wilmington, DE is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Wilmington, DE is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Wilmington, DE 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 Wilmington, DE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.