Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Passaic, NJ: $2,737 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Passaic, NJ
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Passaic, NJ Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Passaic, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,737

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Passaic, 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 Passaic, NJ and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,737 in Passaic, NJ versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Passaic, NJ $2,737
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,186 in Passaic, NJ versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Passaic, NJ $4,186
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Passaic, NJ versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Passaic, NJ $5,634
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Passaic, NJ costs roughly 28% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Passaic, NJ 102% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 $18.76

$24.52 $24.52

-23.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$98.2 $98.2

-19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.79 $14.79

-10.89%

Cappuccino

$6.27 $6.27

$6.52 $6.52

-3.83%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$3.23 $3.23

-21.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.17 $3.17

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.85 $7.85

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$8.03 $8.03

-10.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.21 $1.21

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$5.14 $5.14

-15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$6.05 $6.05

2.81%

Eggs

$6.20 $6.20

$4.88 $4.88

27.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$19.18 $19.18

0.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 $10.40

$18.91 $18.91

-45.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$23.31 $23.31

-19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$5.99 $5.99

2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.93 $1.93

10.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.25 $5.25

-16.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$6.57 $6.57

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.62 $3.62

12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.31 $3.31

31.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.78 $2.78

10.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.51 $2.51

16.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 $14.77

$12.18 $12.18

21.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.83 $14.83

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$4.22 $4.22

-57.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$5.77 $5.77

-36.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.95 $2.95

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 $120

$106 $106

13.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.65 $2.65

12.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.72 $1.72

29.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.30 $41.30

$29.72 $29.72

38.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.49 $1.49

-23.49%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.20%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.75%

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

$174 $174

$302 $302

-42.41%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$70.1 $70.1

-27.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 $50.8

$85.3 $85.3

-40.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 $41.15

$77.8 $77.8

-47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$20.62 $20.62

$17.84 $17.84

15.58%

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

$1,988 $1,988

$2,973 $2,973

-33.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-48.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$76.6 $76.6

-34.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 $51.7

$54.1 $54.1

-4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$128 $128

-31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$164 $164

-37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 $1,816

$2,445 $2,445

-25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$1,947 $1,947

-33.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$4,744 $4,744

-46.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,403 $2,403

$3,469 $3,469

-30.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 $2,576

$7,367 $7,367

-65.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 $2,362

$5,127 $5,127

-53.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,739 $3,739

$6,506 $6,506

-42.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.89

-1.31%

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

Last update for Passaic, NJ: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Passaic, NJ

$1.3K 47.3%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 50.3% $652

Groceries & Markets

Passaic, NJ

$475 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 14.8% $70

Eating Out

Passaic, NJ

$335 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 19.4% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Passaic, NJ

$275 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 66.1% $182

Getting Around

Passaic, NJ

$142 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 9.2% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Passaic, NJ

$132 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 44.4% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Passaic, NJ

$82 3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 37.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Passaic, NJ and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 74% 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: $79.0 in Passaic, NJ vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $475 vs $546 per month, with Passaic, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Passaic, NJ

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

21:35 9:35 PM

3 h behind Passaic, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,974

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

Passaic, NJ
Seattle, WA

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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

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

Passaic, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Passaic, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 74% 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: $1,816 in Passaic, NJ versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Passaic, NJ – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Passaic, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Passaic, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,737 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Passaic, NJ hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Passaic, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.