Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yakima, WA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Yakima, WA: $2,253 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Yakima, WA
Learn more

Yakima, WA Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Yakima, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,253

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Yakima, WA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Yakima, WA $2,253
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Yakima, WA versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Yakima, WA $3,276
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,299 in Yakima, WA versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Yakima, WA $4,299
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Yakima, WA costs roughly 40% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yakima, WA 66% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 $15.57

$24.52 $24.52

-36.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 $64.1

$98.2 $98.2

-34.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 $11.38

$14.79 $14.79

-23.06%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$6.52 $6.52

-30.37%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$3.23 $3.23

-33.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.17 $3.17

-17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 $3.78

$7.85 $7.85

-51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$8.03 $8.03

-48.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.21 $1.21

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$5.14 $5.14

-24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$6.05 $6.05

-40.50%

Eggs

$3.22 $3.22

$4.88 $4.88

-34.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$19.18 $19.18

-39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$18.91 $18.91

-53.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$23.31 $23.31

-36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$5.99 $5.99

-41.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.93 $1.93

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.25 $5.25

-18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$6.57 $6.57

-47.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.62 $3.62

-37.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.31 $3.31

-34.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.78 $2.78

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.51 $2.51

-32.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.34 $12.34

$12.18 $12.18

1.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 $14.06

$14.83 $14.83

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.22 $4.22

-58.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.77 $5.77

-16.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.95 $2.95

72.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.65 $2.65

-1.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.72 $1.72

-46.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$29.72 $29.72

1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.49 $1.49

-14.77%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-21.27%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

3.68%

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

$219 $219

$302 $302

-27.54%

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

$54.1 $54.1

$70.1 $70.1

-22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$85.3 $85.3

-18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 $51.4

$77.8 $77.8

-34.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 $14.10

$17.84 $17.84

-20.96%

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

$1,720 $1,720

$2,973 $2,973

-42.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,241 $7,241

$31.3K $31.3K

-76.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 $61.7

$76.6 $76.6

-19.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.66 $43.66

$54.1 $54.1

-19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$128 $128

-36.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$164 $164

-33.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 $1,044

$2,445 $2,445

-57.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 $1,063

$1,947 $1,947

-45.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$4,744 $4,744

-64.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 $1,749

$3,469 $3,469

-49.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,662 $2,662

$7,367 $7,367

-63.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,471 $2,471

$5,127 $5,127

-51.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,530 $3,530

$6,506 $6,506

-45.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.89

-6.53%

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

Last update for Yakima, WA: 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

Yakima, WA

$1.1K 47.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 83.1% $884

Groceries & Markets

Yakima, WA

$348 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 57% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yakima, WA

$342 15.2%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 33.7% $115

Eating Out

Yakima, WA

$260 11.5%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 54% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Yakima, WA

$133 5.9%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 42.6% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Yakima, WA

$80 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 42.6% $34

Getting Around

Yakima, WA

$28 * 1.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 369% $102

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 $1,044 in Yakima, WA and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 84% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $64 in Yakima, WA vs $98 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $546 per month, with Yakima, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Yakima, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

16:08 4:08 PM

Same time as Yakima, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

96,968

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Yakima, WA Seattle, WA 180 km

From you

Yakima, WA
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

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

Yakima, WA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Yakima, 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: $1,044 in Yakima, WA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,720 in Yakima, WA 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 Yakima, WA – a meal for two runs $64 versus $98 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Yakima, WA 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 – Yakima, WA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.