Seattle vs New York Cost of Living
Seattle (United States) · Overall index 80.2 — New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0
Summary
- Overall, New York is 25% more expensive than Seattle.
- Rent in New York is 64% more expensive than in Seattle.
- Dining out in New York is 21% more expensive than in Seattle.
| Item | Seattle | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +64% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,547 | $4,328 | +70% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,601 | $2,796 | +75% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,039 | $7,980 | +58% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,191 | $4,915 | +54% |
| Groceries | +14% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.41 | $1.48 | +5% |
| White bread (500g) | $4 | $4.03 | +1% |
| Rice (1kg) | $5.04 | $5.54 | +10% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.44 | $5.18 | +17% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $14.9 | $16.5 | +11% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11.7 | $13.6 | +16% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.3 | $22.8 | +18% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.51 | $6.73 | +22% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.26 | $2.56 | +13% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.37 | $5.31 | +22% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.57 | $6.04 | +8% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.68 | $3.01 | +12% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.92 | $3.09 | +6% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.34 | $2.85 | +22% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.25 | $2.81 | +25% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $14.5 | $17 | +17% |
| Transport | +13% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.53 | $2.75 | +9% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $114 | $145 | +27% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.85 | $4.13 | +7% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.85 | $2.06 | +11% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.86 | $0.93 | +8% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,270 | $29,178 | +20% |
| Dining out | +21% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $21.7 | $25.5 | +18% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $117 | $140 | +20% |
| Fast food combo meal | $12 | $12.7 | +6% |
| Cappuccino | $4.86 | $5.58 | +15% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.24 | $3.23 | +44% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.45 | $8.19 | +27% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.3 | $8.34 | +14% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.87 | $2.48 | +33% |
| Telecom | +4% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $61.7 | $64.2 | +4% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $63.5 | $66.9 | +5% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.34 | $0.38 | +12% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15.4 | $14.9 | -3% |
| Utilities & household | +10% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $176 | $173 | -2% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.23 | $0.25 | +9% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.6 | $4.81 | +5% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.34 | $1.75 | +31% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $20.4 | $23.6 | +16% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $88.4 | $94.7 | +7% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15.5 | $16.6 | +7% |
| Men's haircut | $32.1 | $36.8 | +15% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $25.4 | $25.1 | -1% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,939 | $2,473 | +28% |
3,209 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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