Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, NJ: $3,069 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Newark, NJ
Learn more

Newark, NJ Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, NJ and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Newark, NJ and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Newark, NJ $3,069
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,584 in Newark, NJ versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Newark, NJ $4,584
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,098 in Newark, NJ versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Newark, NJ $6,098
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Newark, NJ costs roughly 19% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 127% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$24.52 $24.52

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$98.2 $98.2

0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.79 $14.79

-3.92%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$6.52 $6.52

-2.45%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$3.23 $3.23

15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.17 $3.17

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$7.85 $7.85

1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.03 $8.03

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.21 $1.21

13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.14 $5.14

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$6.05 $6.05

24.46%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$4.88 $4.88

20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$19.18 $19.18

-62.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$18.91 $18.91

-8.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$23.31 $23.31

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.99 $5.99

12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.93 $1.93

19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$5.25 $5.25

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$6.57 $6.57

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.62 $3.62

11.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.31 $3.31

32.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.78 $2.78

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.51 $2.51

4.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$12.18 $12.18

-2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$14.83 $14.83

32.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$4.22 $4.22

-54.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.77 $5.77

-52.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.95 $2.95

107.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$106 $106

-48.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.65 $2.65

14.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.72 $1.72

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$29.72 $29.72

42.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.49 $1.49

-30.20%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-23.88%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.16%

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

$213 $213

$302 $302

-29.56%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$70.1 $70.1

7.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$85.3 $85.3

-17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$77.8 $77.8

-62.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$34.58 $34.58

-48.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$17.84 $17.84

-17.49%

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

$2,129 $2,129

$2,973 $2,973

-28.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$31.3K $31.3K

95.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$76.6 $76.6

-21.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$54.1 $54.1

-49.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$128 $128

-5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$164 $164

-16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$2,445 $2,445

5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,947 $1,947

-21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$4,744 $4,744

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$3,469 $3,469

-24.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$7,367 $7,367

-22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$5,127 $5,127

8.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$6,506 $6,506

-45.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.89

-3.05%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 26.8% $411

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 8.7% $44

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 9.4% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 27.5% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 21.9% $34

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 38.9% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 92.6% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Newark, NJ and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Newark, NJ vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $502 vs $546, with Newark, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

21:35 9:35 PM

3 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Newark, NJ Seattle, WA 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Newark, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $2,577 in Newark, NJ versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Newark, NJ runs roughly 94% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,129 in Newark, NJ versus $2,973 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 $2,500. Newark, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Newark, NJ is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Newark, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.