Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, NC: $2,876 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, NC
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Wilmington, NC Living Index
184

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

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Wilmington, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,876 in Wilmington, NC versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, NC $2,876
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,129 in Wilmington, NC versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, NC $4,129
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,382 in Wilmington, NC versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Wilmington, NC $5,382
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Wilmington, NC costs roughly 24% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wilmington, NC 111% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.08 $15.08

$25.30 $25.30

-40.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$101 $101

-20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$14.76 $14.76

-26.83%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$6.50 $6.50

-14.62%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$3.21 $3.21

-21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.14 $3.14

-24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$7.97 $7.97

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$8.13 $8.13

-14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.17 $1.17

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$5.30 $5.30

-24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.40 $6.40

-8.75%

Eggs

$5.34 $5.34

$5.06 $5.06

5.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 $11.38

$18.71 $18.71

-39.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.42 $14.42

$18.72 $18.72

-22.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.47 $25.47

$22.88 $22.88

11.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$6.06 $6.06

5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.95 $1.95

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$5.51 $5.51

25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$6.52 $6.52

-5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.49 $3.49

17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.29 $3.29

80.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.80 $2.80

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.58 $2.58

21.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$12.49 $12.49

-30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 $14.70

$14.87 $14.87

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$4.19 $4.19

-51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 $6.00

$5.80 $5.80

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.05 $3.05

-33.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.4 $79.4

$106 $106

-25.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 $7.03

$2.58 $2.58

172.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.64 $1.64

15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.41 $1.41

-26.95%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$36.8K $36.8K

-26.38%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.11%

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

$286 $286

$308 $308

-6.89%

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

$55.8 $55.8

$69.2 $69.2

-19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$86.1 $86.1

-11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 $56.1

$76.5 $76.5

-26.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.08 $4.08

$35.50 $35.50

-88.51%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$18.02 $18.02

-17.37%

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

$1,339 $1,339

$2,746 $2,746

-51.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 $70.9

$79.2 $79.2

-10.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 $41.96

$54.3 $54.3

-22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$127 $127

-21.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 $68.8

$159 $159

-56.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 $1,640

$2,508 $2,508

-34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 $1,361

$1,938 $1,938

-29.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$5,117 $5,117

-44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$3,542 $3,542

-40.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,291 $3,291

$7,374 $7,374

-55.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,529 $2,529

$5,002 $5,002

-49.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,936 $3,936

$6,470 $6,470

-39.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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

Last update for Wilmington, NC: 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

Wilmington, NC

$1.4K 47.3%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 42.5% $578

Groceries & Markets

Wilmington, NC

$501 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 9.1% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wilmington, NC

$418 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 10.6% $44

Eating Out

Wilmington, NC

$279 9.7%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 45.7% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Wilmington, NC

$127 4.4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 49.1% $62

Getting Around

Wilmington, NC

$104 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 24% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Wilmington, NC

$86 3%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 31% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,640 in Wilmington, NC and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 64% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Wilmington, NC vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $547 per month, with Wilmington, NC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wilmington, NC

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

18:28 6:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

3 h behind Wilmington, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,826

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Wilmington, NC Seattle, WA 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Wilmington, NC
Seattle, WA

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

Wilmington, NC is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Wilmington, NC. 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: $1,640 in Wilmington, NC 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 Wilmington, NC – a meal for two runs $80 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,876 per month in Wilmington, NC versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Wilmington, NC is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

Expats usually find Wilmington, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.