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: $3,999 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,634 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,116 in Bergen County, NJ versus $5,545 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,234 in Bergen County, NJ versus $7,456 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 10% more expensive than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 198% above, Seattle, WA 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$24.77 $24.77

-20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$119 $119

-29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.20 $14.20

$13.78 $13.78

3.05%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$5.61 $5.61

-9.80%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.89 $2.89

-13.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.46 $2.46

-11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$7.96 $7.96

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$8.21 $8.21

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.86 $4.86

-7.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$5.16 $5.16

66.09%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$6.61 $6.61

-25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$25.06 $25.06

-33.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 $11.85

$15.77 $15.77

-24.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$20.32 $20.32

-11.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.23 $6.23

-20.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.74 $2.74

-37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$5.33 $5.33

-26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$6.49 $6.49

-34.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.09 $3.09

-6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.86 $3.86

2.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.75 $2.75

-10.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.55 $2.55

-12.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.57 $13.57

$11.35 $11.35

19.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.48 $15.48

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.84 $2.84

-38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.24 $4.24

-14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.69 $2.69

52.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$169 $169

$97.8 $97.8

72.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.57 $2.57

14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.72 $1.72

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.05 $24.05

$30.17 $30.17

-20.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.15 $1.15

-20.87%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$33.3K $33.3K

-12.50%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

-4.05%

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

$128 $128

$263 $263

-51.33%

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

$44.66 $44.66

$60.2 $60.2

-25.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.6 $65.6

$74.3 $74.3

-11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 $43.84

$80.6 $80.6

-45.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

Cinema Ticket

$16.68 $16.68

$15.91 $15.91

4.84%

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

$2,271 $2,271

$2,281 $2,281

-0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$29.8K $29.8K

-20.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 $75.9

$70.0 $70.0

8.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.72 $23.72

$53.8 $53.8

-55.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 $86.0

$119 $119

-27.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$143 $143

-19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 $2,725

$2,312 $2,312

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 $2,694

$1,829 $1,829

47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,568 $4,568

$4,694 $4,694

-2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,013 $3,013

$3,491 $3,491

-13.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 $3,889

$8,154 $8,154

-52.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 $3,811

$5,200 $5,200

-26.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,498 $5,498

$6,564 $6,564

-16.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,725 in Bergen County, NJ and $2,312 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $119 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $538 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 10% in total monthly costs ($3,999 vs $3,634 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Seattle, WA earns 19% less. 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: $2,725 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,312 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 $119 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,999 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,634 in Seattle, WA – a 10% 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 10% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.