$100k a year, no longer in Orlando

change
Seattle, WA cityscape

from orlando

Seattle

wa · metro 4.0M

photo: Thom Milkovic / unsplash

a dispatch from

seattle

WA

47.61°N

122.33°W

Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.

metro4.0M

in our guides

#7

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

read the guide
#7

of 10

Most livable cities in America

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best places to move in 2026

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for a $150k salary

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for cyclists

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for dog owners

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities in the Pacific Northwest

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$256

the monthly cost of moving past Orlando

Seattle costs more than Orlando, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
landable, recorded on the seattle entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,193/mo

13% more expensive than Orlando(vs $1,937/mo)

02state income tax

0%

vs 0% in Orlando

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$256 less than Orlando

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$791k

97% more expensive than Orlando

vs $402k in Orlando

05metro size

4.0M

vs 2.8M in Orlando

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Orlando gets 216 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.6× more on the calendar than Orlando.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

93/100

50% higher than Orlando

vs 62/100 in Orlando

Closest outdoor draw: Mount Rainier National Park, 59.8 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

1% higher than Orlando

vs 97/100 in Orlando

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

38% fewer than Orlando

vs 146 nonstops in Orlando

04 · see also

if seattle appeals, also worth a look:

see also

portland

similar overall lifestyle

turn the page

see also

trenton

more flight options

turn the page

see also

salt lake city

$198/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare seattle with:

PortlandTrentonSalt Lake City