Travel Budget for Seattle Visit Seattle on a Budget or Travel in Style

Seattle, Washington, United States of America

How much does it cost to travel to Seattle?

Budget-Friendly Travel Planning

How much money will you need for your trip to Seattle? You should plan to spend around $205 per day on your vacation in Seattle, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $51 on meals for one day and $30 on local transportation. Also, the average hotel price in Seattle for a couple is $240. So, a trip to Seattle for two people for one week costs on average $2,865. All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $205
  • One Week Per person
    $1,432
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $2,865
  • One Month Per person
    $6,138
  • One Week For a couple
    $2,865
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $5,729
  • One Month For a couple
    $12,277
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.

A vacation to Seattle for one week usually costs around $1,432 for one person. So, a trip to Seattle for two people costs around $2,865 for one week. A trip for two weeks for two people costs $5,729 in Seattle. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Seattle can often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.



How expensive is Seattle? How much money do I need for Seattle?

How much does a trip to Seattle cost? Is Seattle cheap or expensive? The average Seattle trip cost is broken down by category here. All of these Seattle prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers to find the price of travel in the area.

Accommodation Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Seattle is $120. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Seattle is $240. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $120
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $240

Hotel Prices in Seattle

Looking for a hotel in Seattle? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

 

Actual Hotel Prices
The average hotel room price in Seattle based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $184. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.


Recommended Properties


Transportation Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The cost of a taxi ride in Seattle is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $30 per person, per day, on local transportation in Seattle.


  • Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    $30

Recommended Services


Flights to Seattle
How much does it cost to go to Seattle? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.

Rental Cars in Seattle
The price of renting a car in Seattle will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.


What did other people spend on Transportation in Seattle?

Typical prices for Transportation in Seattle are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Seattle, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.


  • Lightrail from Airport (for 2)
    $5.50
  • Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)
    $15


Food Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While meal prices in Seattle can vary, the average cost of food in Seattle is $51 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Seattle should cost around $20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Seattle is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.


  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $51

Recommended

What did other people spend on Food in Seattle?

Typical prices for Food in Seattle are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Seattle, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.


  • Expresso & cookie at Pier 70
    $7.00
  • Cashews at Pike Place Market
    $6.00
  • 6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market
    $3.25
  • Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)
    $21
  • Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)
    $32
  • Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)
    $37


Entertainment Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • Entertainment and activities in Seattle typically cost an average of $16 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.


  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    $16

Recommended Activities


Tips and Handouts Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average cost for Tips and Handouts in Seattle is $16 per day. The usual amount for a tip in Seattle is 10% - 20%.


  • Tips and Handouts1 For guides or service providers
    $16

What did other people spend on Tips and Handouts in Seattle?

Typical prices for Tips and Handouts in Seattle are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Seattle, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.


  • Airport Luggage Storage
    $14


Alcohol Budget in Seattle
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average person spends about $16 on alcoholic beverages in Seattle per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.


  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    $16

Recommended


Last Updated: Jul 19, 2023
Seattle On a Budget
Seattle Seattle, Washington
Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.

Well known for its frequent rainy days, you'll find the city flocks to the outdoors on the occasional days when the sun decides to make an appearance. The climate is considered oceanic or temperate marine. Temperatures are cool and damp in the winter and warmer and dryer during the summer.
Sights
Although exploring Seattle is really about exploring the neighborhoods, there are still some excellents sights and attractions throughout the city. Perhaps the most famous Seattle landmark is the famous Space Needle. You can visit the top for a good view of the city and the surrounding areas. Another must see is Pikes Place Market as well as Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. You should also head over to Chinatown where there are some good markets and restaurants. If you're in the area on a weekend definitely find a good restaurant that serves up dim sum.

There are some great museums in the city as well. The Seattle Art Museum is excellent. Also worth visiting are the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience and the Frye Art Museum.

Parks are spread throughout the city. If the weather holds out, top parks in the area include Woodland Park Zoo, Carkeek Park, Discovery Park, Gasworks Park, Golden Gardens Park, Green Lake, Kerry Park, Kubota Garden, Magnuson Park, Myrtle Edwards Park, Ravenna Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, Seward Park, and the Waterfront.
Neighborhoods
Seattle is known as a city of neighborhoods, and part of the city's charm comes from exploring it's many districts, each of which has its own personality and character. The downtown area has one of the most interesting areas, Pikes Place Market, where you can pick up anything from freshly caught seafood to homemade donuts. Pioneer Square and the International District make up the city's oldest areas and have some excellent and diverse restaurants. Capital Hill has a great nightlife and Ballard is where you should go if you want to see the canal locks.

Activities
There is no shortage of events in Seattle. Notable events include Seafair in July and August, Bumbershoot, the Northwest Folklife Festival, Bite of Seattle, Hempfest, Capitol HIll Block Party and Fremont Fair.

A number of day trips outside of Seattle are also possible. Take the ferry across the sound to Bainbridge Island (or the other areas). Visit one of the many nearby National Parks such as Mt. Ranier and go for a hike. Head up to the small towns and beautiful lakes around Mt. Baker to the northeast. Or, take the drive out to visit Mel's Hole in Ellensburg on I-90.

Here are more ideas for day trips from Seattle.
Food and Dining
Fresh seafood is the specialty in Seattle. It's available in restaurants and markets throughout the city. If you're hoping to have a picnic, then head to Pike Place Market. There you can pick up some bread, cheese, sausage or smoked fish and dine on the grass at the north end of the Market. Make sure you try the fresh donuts that are for sale in the market.

Asian food is also plentiful throughout the city. Dim sum is a popular option and a great way to try a sampling of items. There's a high concentration of Asian restaurants in the Chinatown area. Each has its own flavor and prices are quite reasonable.

Transportation
You can walk around most neighborhoods of interest in Seattle and there's a light rail system that connects a few of the neighborhoods. Buses in the city do connect many areas. Some buses only run during rush hour so make sure you understand the schedule. The light rail system connects Westlake Center downtown and the Sea-Tac Airport, passing through South Seattle and Tukwila. There is also a commuter rail service and the South Lake Union Streetcar that runs between Downtown and South Lake Union. A passenger ferry connects the Downtown and West Seattle. It can be caught at Pier 55.

Exploring the whole area is a lot easier if you have access to a car, or, if you're motivated, biking in Seattle can be a fun and efficient way to explore the city. The weather can change at a moments so do be prepared for rain.


Related:

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1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase.


Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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Travel Tips

Seattle International District Restaurants

By backpackguru in Food
Check out the restaurants in Seattle's International District. They're authentic, they're delicious, and they're cheap. Enjoy some Chinese Dim Sum, Vietnamese Pho, or Japanese sushi. The neighborhood doesn't exactly have the same feel as some more well known Chinatowns, but the restaurants easily compare.

Take the Ferry

By Bryan in Entertainment
Take one of the many public ferries across the sound for a great view of the city and to experience a more laid-back lifestyle on the other side of the way. On a clear day they say you can see Mount Rainier, but the weather tends to be cloudy most of the time. One of the best places to go is to Bainbridge island to the town of Winslow. It's a small alpine town on the water with pleasant restaurants and nice walking trails along the small harbor. The ferry ride costs about $8 per person for a round trip and leaves from the waterfront in downtown Seattle. You can also take a water taxi to West Seattle or other nearby places.

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