Welcome to the Emerald City! Nestled on the edge of Puget Sound, Seattle boasts a high cost of living, especially for housing. After all, the average price for a one-bedroom apartment here is $2,338.
But you get a lot of bang for your buck shelling out large amounts of cash to live in one of the Pacific Northwest’s best cities. There are incredible dining, music, art and entertainment. Work opportunities abound, especially in the tech sector. And the great outdoors is right next door, with Mount Rainier looming behind downtown’s skyscrapers.
But what does truly high-end living look like in Seattle? We scoured Seattle’s rental market to find the most elite, expensive apartment in the city and discovered The Mill at First Hill. This 356-unit luxury community of two 14-story, high-rise tower apartment complexes is located in the historic First Hill neighborhood.
And for a cool $17,000 a month, you can live it up in style in their one-bedroom, one-bath Luxury 4 Resident Apartment on the penthouse level. Once you take a peek inside, you’ll see why it ranks as the most expensive apartment in Seattle.
Location, location and location
As is the case with most cities, apartments in trendy, desirable neighborhoods or districts always come at a higher price. The same is true for Seattle. If you want to live close to the city center and all it has to offer, you’ll be paying premium rates for that access. The Mill at First Hill is about as close as you can get to the action while still having a little separation from fast-paced city life for rest and relaxation.
In fact, that’s historically been one of the benefits of living in First Hill. The district is located northeast of Downtown Seattle. It gets its name from being the first hill encountered when heading east from downtown toward Lake Washington. Starting in the 1890s, Seattle’s well-to-do started building homes on the hill, attracted by the area’s proximity to downtown. But it was still far enough away to feel like a proper neighborhood and community.
That still holds true today. You could easily walk the eight blocks from The Mill through downtown to the Puget Sound waterfront for your morning coffee or a quick jaunt at lunch. First Hill has a very high Walk Score of 98 and a Bike Score of 67.
Don’t want to walk? First Hill ranks a stellar 100 for mass transit. The Seattle Street Car passes five blocks away, connecting you to Pioneer Square and other parts of the city. The hip Capitol Hill neighborhood is also close by, with exciting nightlife, dining and entertainment opportunities galore. Interstate 5 borders the district, allowing you to quickly zip out of town if you need to escape to the wilderness.
Nowadays, First Hill also is a healthcare hub. It’s the home of several leading medical facilities, including Harborview Medical Center and Virginia Mason Medical Center. The district is sometimes called “Pill Hill” for this reason.
First Hill has everything you would want out of city living. You can get your art and cultural fix at the Frye Art Museum or the Museum of Museums. Just across the street from The Mill, you’ll find beautiful historic buildings like the St. James Cathedral.
The district is also home to Seattle University, so it’s popular with students and young professionals. As a hip neighborhood, you have your pick of cool cafes, restaurants and bars, from pizza to sushi to craft cocktails. And, of course, there’s great coffee at spots like Cafe Presse.
Thanks to its history as a retreat for the wealthy but modern relevance as a trendy neighborhood, First Hill is a visually delightful blend of architectural styles ranging from classic 1800s and 1900s houses to ultra-modern high-rises. The Mill at First Hill is a happy marriage of the two. The buildings date from 1949 but were renovated and modernized in 2017.
What it’s like inside the most expensive apartment in Seattle?
It’s no wonder the Residence 4 Luxury apartment at The Mill at First Hill is the most expensive apartment in Seattle. The 560-square-foot unit is located in The Mills’ Tower 2 on the top floors at the penthouse level. As such, its large windows offer unbeatable views of First Hill, downtown and the St. James Cathedral.
Aesthetically, The Mill offers minimalist, modern living with clean, open spaces and chic decor. A focus on natural looks and textures like stone and wood is also key. In this luxury unit, all those style choices are elevated even further, with faux-hardwood floors and attractive light fixtures.
The fully-equipped kitchen has an open layout, with a top-of-the-line appliances, a quartz top kitchen island, granite countertops, white shaker-panel cabinets for a rustic-meets-modern look.
The spacious bedroom has a large closet and there’s extra storage and closet space throughout the apartment. The unit has a smart, well-structured layout with a natural flow. And with such high-end design choices, every nook and cranny feels well-thought-out.
Pricing is subject to change, but at the time of writing, this luxe unit is going for $16,993 a month. Now, you may be thinking that $16,993 sounds like a lot for one bedroom and one bath and only 560 square feet, even if it is on the top level. Here’s the catch. The Mill offers flexible lease terms. So, for some units, you can lease for a month at a time, six months or more. The $16,993 price tag applies to renting the unit for just one month.
But if you sign a longer lease, the monthly price substantially goes down. For example, on a six-month lease, the monthly rent is $4,196. For a year, it’s $3,254. So you can still live in Seattle’s most expensive apartment but at far more affordable rates if you sign a longer lease.
At The Mill, it’s all about the perks
When The Mill at First Hill calls itself a community, they really mean it. You can find all manner of luxury, modern amenities onsite that make your busy life easier. Were it not for the world-class cosmopolitan thrills of Seattle being right outside your door, you would barely need to leave the grounds.
Starting outside, there’s a designated outdoor parking lot and parking garages so you don’t need to struggle to find street parking. Located between Tower 1 and Tower 2, you’ll find the pool area. With a large outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, fire pit and plenty of lounge chairs and seating, it’s the perfect place to unwind. You can even grill it up at the top-of-the-line outdoor grill area. Each tower also has a rooftop deck area that offers amazing, unobstructed views of First Hill and downtown Seattle.
Moving indoors, you’ll find plenty of community areas in which to hang out and connect with your neighbors. Game lovers will enjoy the Billiard Room, and you can kick back with a drink in the chic Speakeasy Tavern. The Mill also has a top-notch 24-hour fitness center, a secure package room, a media center and theater room, 24-hour emergency maintenance and laundry rooms. There’s plenty of on-site storage available, including spots for bikes. There are also work-from-home units and business-oriented community areas.
And let us not forget our furry best friends. The Mill at First Hill is an extremely pet-friendly community. Up to two pets are allowed per apartment, with no weight restrictions. They also provide amenities specifically tailored to our canine companions. There are two dog parks on the premises and there’s even a dog spa and washing station in Tower 2.
Experiencing what else you can buy
The Residence 4 Luxury unit at The Mill at First Hill really shows how to live large in the Emerald City. But it certainly doesn’t come cheap, either. Seattle is a great city with so much to offer that you can enjoy even just a fraction of the money spent on this apartment. For the cost of one month’s rent in this apartment, you could:
- Take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island nearly 1,878 times
- Go up the Space Needle during peak hours 453 times
- Go to 37 Seattle Seahawks games and sit front and center by the field in the best seats in the house
- Get 1,213 orders of the signature Kurobuta pork xiao long bao soup dumplings from Din Tai Fung. That’s over 12,000 dumplings!
- Get 283 fully cooked 1.75-pound Dungeness crabs from local fishmonger Pike Place Market
Luxury living on a budget
Want a taste of that upscale Seattle lifestyle but at a slightly cheaper cost? Fret not, there are plenty of options. Here are some more affordable but equally luxe Seattle properties to consider.
- Charbern: Two-bedroom unit for $13,757/month
- Kiara: Two bedrooms for $10,305/month
- Avalon Belltown Towers: Two bedrooms for $8,495/month
- Promenade At The Park: One bedroom for $7,445/month
- Coppins Well: Two bedrooms for $6,980/month
Enjoy the high life in the most expensive apartment in Seattle
It’s clear why the luxurious Residence 4 unit at The Mill at First Hill is considered Seattle’s most expensive apartment. You’re situated in an excellent location, with access to fun and work. Outfitted with only the finest in high-end appliances and amenities, you’re truly getting what you pay for. And best of all? At the time of writing, the unit will be available for rent! But don’t sleep on it. An apartment this nice is bound to be scooped up fast.
