Question 1

Is Detroit or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $694/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $7,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit 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 Detroit or Seattle?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit 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	Detroit59	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$2,501
Median home value	$76,800	$912,100
Median household income	$39,575	$121,984
Unemployment	10.7%	4.5%
Housing score	62	35
Jobs score	37	36
Safety score	18	40
Climate score	87	92
Amenities score	82	90
Population	636.6K	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	76° / 37°

Detroit, MI vs Seattle, WA