Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,087 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,621 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,235 in Bergen County, NJ versus $5,548 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,383 in Bergen County, NJ versus $7,476 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 13% more expensive than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 207% above, Seattle, WA 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$25.02 $25.02

-21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 $85.3

$118 $118

-27.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 $13.89

$13.76 $13.76

0.94%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$5.85 $5.85

-16.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.05 $3.05

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.39 $2.39

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$7.93 $7.93

-10.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$7.85 $7.85

16.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.86 $4.86

-8.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$5.18 $5.18

67.57%

Eggs

$4.92 $4.92

$6.69 $6.69

-26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$25.28 $25.28

-33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$15.92 $15.92

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$20.16 $20.16

-13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.19 $6.19

-18.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.88 $2.88

-38.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.48 $5.48

-28.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$6.38 $6.38

-36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.09 $3.09

-9.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.80 $3.80

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.80 $2.80

-15.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.61 $2.61

-18.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 $13.31

$11.41 $11.41

16.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 $18.42

$15.59 $15.59

18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.99 $2.99

-41.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.23 $4.23

-13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.69 $2.69

59.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$170 $170

$101 $101

69.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.68 $2.68

13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.70 $1.70

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$29.50 $29.50

-20.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.14 $1.14

-19.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.2K $29.2K

$33.3K $33.3K

-12.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

-4.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$129 $129

$261 $261

-50.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.89 $44.89

$60.4 $60.4

-25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$75.8 $75.8

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 $43.46

$78.8 $78.8

-44.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.08 $40.08

Cinema Ticket

$16.84 $16.84

$15.82 $15.82

6.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,267 $2,267

$2,210 $2,210

2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$29.8K $29.8K

-21.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 $74.2

$69.8 $69.8

6.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.09 $24.09

$52.0 $52.0

-53.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$117 $117

-25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$139 $139

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 $2,766

$2,321 $2,321

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,635 $2,635

$1,870 $1,870

40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,661 $4,661

$4,728 $4,728

-1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$3,569 $3,569

-16.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 $3,887

$7,651 $7,651

-49.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,703 $3,703

$5,034 $5,034

-26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,410 $5,410

$6,516 $6,516

-16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.42

2.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: July 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,766 in Bergen County, NJ and $2,321 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $118 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $542 per month, with Bergen County, NJ cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bergen County, NJ vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen County, NJ and Seattle, WA differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($4,087 vs $3,621 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,766 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,321 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $118 versus $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,087 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,621 in Seattle, WA – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.