Cost of Living Comparison Between Edison, NJ and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Edison, NJ and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,091 in Edison, NJ versus $3,886 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,443 in Edison, NJ versus $5,699 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,795 in Edison, NJ versus $7,513 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Edison, NJ costs roughly 20% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edison, NJ 124% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.65 $17.65

$25.37 $25.37

-30.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 $61.0

$101 $101

-39.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 $9.02

$14.80 $14.80

-39.05%

Cappuccino

$4.06 $4.06

$6.63 $6.63

-38.76%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$3.08 $3.08

-66.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.96 $2.96

-65.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 $3.54

$7.94 $7.94

-55.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.88 $7.88

-12.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.22 $1.22

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$5.14 $5.14

-39.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$6.16 $6.16

-2.44%

Eggs

$2.55 $2.55

$5.08 $5.08

-49.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$21.31 $21.31

-36.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$18.42 $18.42

-44.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 $19.92

$23.04 $23.04

-13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.04 $6.04

1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.88 $1.88

-20.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.20 $5.20

-20.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$6.37 $6.37

-18.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.78 $3.78

-17.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.30 $3.30

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.87 $2.87

4.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.66 $2.66

-22.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$13.91 $13.91

-29.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.05 $15.05

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.17 $4.17

-57.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$5.64 $5.64

-37.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.97 $2.97

96.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$204 $204

$107 $107

89.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.57 $2.57

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.65 $1.65

-44.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.17 $41.17

$29.49 $29.49

39.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.46 $1.46

-37.67%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.13%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

-1.41%

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

$169 $169

$306 $306

-44.95%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$70.2 $70.2

-26.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$87.4 $87.4

-42.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.75 $21.75

$79.9 $79.9

-72.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$17.85 $17.85

-16.64%

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

$2,012 $2,012

$3,018 $3,018

-33.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-49.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.29 $49.29

$76.6 $76.6

-35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.2 $81.2

$53.8 $53.8

50.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 $61.1

$126 $126

-51.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 $90.9

$162 $162

-44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 $2,142

$2,456 $2,456

-12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 $1,809

$1,981 $1,981

-8.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,159 $3,159

$4,881 $4,881

-35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$3,625 $3,625

-24.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,894 $6,894

$6,165 $6,165

11.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.45

-2.64%

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

Last update for Edison, NJ: September 5, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,142 in Edison, NJ and $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edison, NJ pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Edison, NJ vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $551 per month, with Edison, 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

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

Edison, NJ and Seattle, WA differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($3,091 vs $3,886 including rent). Edison, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Edison, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,142 in Edison, NJ versus $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Edison, NJ runs roughly 90% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,012 in Edison, NJ versus $3,018 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Edison, NJ 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 Edison, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.