Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Atlantic City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Atlantic City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,661 in Seattle, WA versus $2,379 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,544 in Seattle, WA versus $3,565 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,427 in Seattle, WA versus $4,752 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 54% more expensive than Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 173% above, Atlantic City, NJ 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$24.82 $24.82

2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$60.5 $60.5

100.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 $14.11

$12.12 $12.12

16.42%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$5.49 $5.49

6.01%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.77 $2.77

7.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.43 $2.43

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 $7.73

$6.81 $6.81

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$9.02 $9.02

-12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.22 $1.22

9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.18 $4.18

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.24 $8.24

-37.62%

Eggs

$6.57 $6.57

$6.55 $6.55

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$17.64 $17.64

39.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$16.37 $16.37

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 $20.14

$20.15 $20.15

-0.05%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$4.46 $4.46

40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.42 $2.42

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.81 $5.81

-8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$6.19 $6.19

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.83 $3.83

-16.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.11 $4.11

-6.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.03 $2.03

34.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 $2.05

25.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$18.96 $18.96

-38.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$13.25 $13.25

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.92 $2.92

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.87 $3.87

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.99 $1.99

38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.03 $5.03

-46.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.13 $2.13

-20.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$41.35 $41.35

-28.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.83 $0.83

37.35%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-5.90%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

-8.56%

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

$268 $268

$178 $178

50.44%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$59.7 $59.7

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$54.0 $54.0

41.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 $78.1

$43.47 $43.47

79.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.15 $40.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$14.41 $14.41

9.78%

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

$2,252 $2,252

$3,203 $3,203

-29.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$23.3K $23.3K

27.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$42.97 $42.97

64.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$39.48 $39.48

34.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$61.2 $61.2

91.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$74.0 $74.0

87.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,408 $1,408

64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 $1,849

$993 $993

86.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,739 $4,739

$2,006 $2,006

136.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$1,842 $1,842

93.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 $7,775

$3,613 $3,613

115.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 $5,351

$3,636 $3,636

47.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,575 $6,575

$4,904 $4,904

34.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.44

-0.31%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Seattle, WA and $1,408 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 34% 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: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $61 in Atlantic City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $539 vs $501 per month, with Atlantic City, 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

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

Seattle, WA and Atlantic City, NJ differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($3,661 vs $2,379 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 34% more on average, 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: $2,310 in Seattle, WA versus $1,408 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,252 in Seattle, WA versus $3,203 in Atlantic City, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Atlantic City, NJ – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $121 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,379 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,661 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Atlantic City, NJ but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Atlantic City, NJ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.