Question 1

Is Arlington or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $632/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $13,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Seattle?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Arlington costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$2,501
Median home value	$276,400	$912,100
Median household income	$73,519	$121,984
Unemployment	4.1%	4.5%
Housing score	60	35
Jobs score	58	36
Safety score	65	40
Climate score	96	92
Amenities score	73	90
Population	394.8K	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	76° / 37°

Arlington, TX vs Seattle, WA