Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yelm, WA: $2,622 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in Yelm, WA
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Yelm, WA Living Index
184

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

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Yelm, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,622

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Yelm, WA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Yelm, WA $2,622
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Yelm, WA versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Yelm, WA $3,646
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,669 in Yelm, WA versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Yelm, WA $4,669
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Yelm, WA costs roughly 31% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yelm, WA 93% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$24.52 $24.52

-17.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$98.2 $98.2

-33.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 $12.69

$14.79 $14.79

-14.20%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$6.52 $6.52

-17.33%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.23 $3.23

-9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.17 $3.17

-47.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$7.85 $7.85

-19.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$8.03 $8.03

-12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.21 $1.21

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$5.14 $5.14

-29.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$6.05 $6.05

-49.42%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$4.88 $4.88

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 $9.21

$19.18 $19.18

-51.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 $10.62

$18.91 $18.91

-43.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$23.31 $23.31

-43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$5.99 $5.99

-28.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.93 $1.93

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$5.25 $5.25

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$6.57 $6.57

-70.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.62 $3.62

-56.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$3.31 $3.31

-54.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.78 $2.78

-69.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 $0.56

$2.51 $2.51

-77.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.18 $12.18

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.83 $14.83

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$4.22 $4.22

-46.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$5.77 $5.77

-59.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.95 $2.95

-26.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.65 $2.65

-23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.72 $1.72

5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 $14.76

$29.72 $29.72

-50.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.49 $1.49

-12.75%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-20.72%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.28%

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

$159 $159

$302 $302

-47.19%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$70.1 $70.1

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.9 $94.9

$85.3 $85.3

11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 $38.85

$77.8 $77.8

-50.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 $9.52

$17.84 $17.84

-46.64%

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

$1,455 $1,455

$2,973 $2,973

-51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.88 $39.88

$76.6 $76.6

-47.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.45 $29.45

$54.1 $54.1

-45.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$128 $128

-31.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$164 $164

-37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 $1,486

$2,445 $2,445

-39.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$1,947 $1,947

-25.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,558 $2,558

$4,744 $4,744

-46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 $2,129

$3,469 $3,469

-38.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,108 $3,108

$7,367 $7,367

-57.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,162 $2,162

$5,127 $5,127

-57.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,918 $8,918

$6,506 $6,506

37.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.89

-4.35%

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

Last update for Yelm, 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

Yelm, WA

$1.5K 55.5%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 33.9% $493

Eating Out

Yelm, WA

$329 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 21.5% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yelm, WA

$325 12.4%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 40.8% $133

Groceries & Markets

Yelm, WA

$319 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 71% $227

Clothing & Footwear

Yelm, WA

$117 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 62.4% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Yelm, WA

$58 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 96.1% $56

Getting Around

Yelm, WA

$20 * 0.8%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 551% $109

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 $1,486 in Yelm, WA and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yelm, WA pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Yelm, WA vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $546 per month, with Yelm, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Yelm, WA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

Same time as Yelm, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,617

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Yelm, WA Seattle, WA 77 km

From you

Yelm, 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

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

Yelm, WA is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Yelm, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,486 in Yelm, WA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,455 in Yelm, 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 Yelm, WA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,622 in Yelm, WA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Yelm, WA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Yelm, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Yelm, WA 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.

Safety-wise, Yelm, WA and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Yelm, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.