Seattle has everything you could want or need, including restaurants, live theatre, film, concerts, galleries, bookstores, museums, Green Lake, Gas Works Park, hiking, biking, skiing, boating, the Arboretum, camping and rock climbing. Here are some local links for Seattle and its surrounding communities:
Living expenses for a year are currently estimated to be about $20,000 for graduate students. These estimates include books, room and board, transportation and personal expenses, but not tuition.