Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Yellowknife: $2,924 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Yellowknife
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Yellowknife Living Index
184

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

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Yellowknife

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,924

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,924 in Yellowknife versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA.

Yellowknife $2,924
Seattle, WA $3,744

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,087 in Yellowknife versus $5,703 in Seattle, WA.

Yellowknife $4,087
Seattle, WA $5,703

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,250 in Yellowknife versus $7,661 in Seattle, WA.

Yellowknife $5,250
Seattle, WA $7,661

Living in Yellowknife costs roughly 22% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 118% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.40 CA$27.65

$24.56 $24.56

-21.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 CA$119

$99.5 $99.5

-16.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CA$11.97

$15.30 $15.30

-45.16%

Cappuccino

$4.39 CA$6.25

$6.62 $6.62

-33.69%

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

$2.39 CA$3.41

$3.25 $3.25

-26.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.89

$3.11 $3.11

-34.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 CA$9.17

$7.77 $7.77

-17.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 CA$9.91

$7.93 $7.93

-12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$1.21 $1.21

127.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.77

$4.94 $4.94

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 CA$6.77

$6.17 $6.17

-23.01%

Eggs

$3.15 CA$4.49

$4.96 $4.96

-36.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.97 CA$9.94

$19.00 $19.00

-63.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.33

$18.69 $18.69

-16.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 CA$22.11

$23.14 $23.14

-32.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.85

$5.93 $5.93

-18.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CA$2.16

$1.94 $1.94

-22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.22

$5.19 $5.19

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.17 CA$10.22

$6.55 $6.55

9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 CA$6.46

$3.62 $3.62

25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.16

$3.16 $3.16

14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 CA$4.92

$2.91 $2.91

18.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CA$1.49

$2.38 $2.38

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.52 CA$24.97

$12.36 $12.36

41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$20.38

$15.02 $15.02

-4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 CA$5.90

$4.30 $4.30

-3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$9.02

$5.69 $5.69

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 CA$3.04

$3.05 $3.05

-30.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 CA$75.3

$109 $109

-51.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.47

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.95

$1.74 $1.74

-21.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.86

$1.46 $1.46

-10.27%

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

$24.2K CA$34.5K

$36.7K $36.7K

-34.08%

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

$18.8K CA$26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

-26.68%

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

$355 CA$506

$299 $299

18.50%

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

$57.5 CA$81.9

$69.7 $69.7

-17.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.7 CA$142

$90.1 $90.1

10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 CA$103

$80.0 $80.0

-9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 CA$13.60

$17.33 $17.33

-44.95%

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

$593 CA$845

$2,986 $2,986

-80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 CA$88.3

$77.7 $77.7

-20.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.78 CA$49.57

$54.9 $54.9

-36.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 CA$142

$126 $126

-20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$162

$165 $165

-31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,980

$2,407 $2,407

-42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 CA$1,968

$1,963 $1,963

-29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 CA$2,995

$4,788 $4,788

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 CA$2,935

$3,561 $3,561

-42.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,977 CA$4,244

$7,430 $7,430

-59.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,819 CA$4,018

$5,010 $5,010

-43.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,989 CA$5,685

$6,280 $6,280

-36.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.85

-22.34%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: October 5, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Yellowknife

$1.4K 47.3%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6% 42.2% $582

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yellowknife

$512 17.5%

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1% 10.3% $53

Groceries & Markets

Yellowknife

$430 14.7%

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2% 25.9% $111

Eating Out

Yellowknife

$297 10.2%

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6% 35.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Yellowknife

$140 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$191 5% 36.6% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Yellowknife

$91 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$115 3% 25.7% $23

Getting Around

Yellowknife

$71 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 85.2% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Yellowknife and $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 57% 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: $83.0 in Yellowknife vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $541 per month, with Yellowknife cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Yellowknife

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:19 4:19 AM

03:19 3:19 AM

1 h behind Yellowknife

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,234

737,015

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Yellowknife Seattle, WA 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Yellowknife
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

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

Yellowknife is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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: $1,389 in Yellowknife versus $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yellowknife – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,924 per month in Yellowknife versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Yellowknife 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 Yellowknife gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.