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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,358 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,572 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,786 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 53% more expensive than Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Atlantic City, NJ 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$24.57 $24.57

0.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$58.9 $58.9

99.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$12.03 $12.03

14.46%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.58 $5.58

2.33%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.77 $2.77

10.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.53 $2.53

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.96 $6.96

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$9.24 $9.24

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.22 $1.22

10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.09 $4.09

23.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.98 $7.98

-32.46%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$6.29 $6.29

8.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$17.08 $17.08

46.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$16.70 $16.70

-5.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$19.95 $19.95

3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.31 $4.31

42.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.53 $2.53

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.69 $5.69

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.48 $6.48

4.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.73 $3.73

-15.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.13 $4.13

-7.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.96 $1.96

37.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.96 $1.96

34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$19.33 $19.33

-39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.22 $15.22

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.91 $2.91

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.87 $3.87

9.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.02 $2.02

39.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.02 $5.02

-48.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.20 $2.20

-21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$41.85 $41.85

-27.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.88 $0.88

35.23%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$35.2K $35.2K

-7.16%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.8K $27.8K

-6.11%

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

$263 $263

$184 $184

42.85%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$60.4 $60.4

0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$54.2 $54.2

40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$43.85 $43.85

81.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.50 $14.50

12.21%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$3,123 $3,123

-26.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$43.25 $43.25

58.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$39.39 $39.39

31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$60.6 $60.6

91.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$75.7 $75.7

89.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,374 $1,374

69.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,010 $1,010

84.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,012 $2,012

130.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$1,840 $1,840

88.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$3,575 $3,575

117.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$3,571 $3,571

46.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,835 $4,835

36.85%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,374 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 37% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $59.0 in Atlantic City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $500 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 53% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $2,358 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 37% 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,374 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $3,123 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 $59.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Atlantic City, 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 Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.