Head to head
New York, NY vs Seattle, WA
Seattle is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $740/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $29,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, New York is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | New York44 | Seattle59 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,531 | $4,791 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $11,966 | $12,749 |
| Salary for comfort | $115,500/yr | $86,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,910 | $2,501 |
| Median home value | $751,700 | $912,100 |
| Median household income | $79,713 | $121,984 |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Housing score | 3 | 34 |
| Jobs score | 43 | 35 |
| Safety score | 47 | 40 |
| Climate score | 99 | 92 |
| Amenities score | 40 | 90 |
| Population | 8.5M | 741.4K |
| Summer high / winter low | 84° / 27° | 76° / 37° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
New York, NY
Seattle, WA