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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,661 in Seattle, WA versus $2,779 in Barnegat, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,544 in Seattle, WA versus $4,285 in Barnegat, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,427 in Seattle, WA versus $5,792 in Barnegat, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 32% more expensive than Barnegat, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 173% above, Barnegat, NJ 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.79 $19.79

27.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$148 $148

-17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 $14.11

$12.38 $12.38

13.97%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$6.06 $6.06

-3.96%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$3.38 $3.38

-11.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.57 $2.57

-6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 $7.73

$8.19 $8.19

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$12.18 $12.18

-35.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.08 $1.08

24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.16 $5.16

-4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.22 $8.22

-37.47%

Eggs

$6.57 $6.57

$7.16 $7.16

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$17.45 $17.45

41.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$16.77 $16.77

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 $20.14

$20.35 $20.35

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$7.71 $7.71

-18.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.47 $2.47

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.61 $5.61

-5.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$3.90 $3.90

63.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.67 $3.67

-12.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.94 $3.94

-2.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.15 $3.15

-13.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$18.69 $18.69

-37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$14.80 $14.80

6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.93 $2.93

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.75 $3.75

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.03 $2.03

35.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.04 $3.04

-12.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.40 $1.40

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$24.17 $24.17

23.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.77 $0.77

48.05%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$34.8K $34.8K

-5.55%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

-9.03%

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

$268 $268

$185 $185

45.10%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$58.7 $58.7

3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$63.3 $63.3

20.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 $78.1

$43.03 $43.03

81.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.15 $40.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$19.91 $19.91

-20.54%

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

$2,252 $2,252

$3,194 $3,194

-29.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$23.1K $23.1K

28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$66.2 $66.2

6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$48.20 $48.20

10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$114 $114

2.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$167 $167

-17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,602 $1,602

44.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 $1,849

$1,334 $1,334

38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,739 $4,739

$2,648 $2,648

78.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,191 $2,191

62.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 $7,775

$2,413 $2,413

222.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 $5,351

$2,065 $2,065

159.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,575 $6,575

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 Barnegat, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Seattle, WA and $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $148 in Barnegat, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $539 vs $530, with Barnegat, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

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 Barnegat, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Barnegat, NJ differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($3,661 vs $2,779 including rent). Barnegat, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,491 in Seattle, WA and $4,168 in Barnegat, NJ to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,310 in Seattle, WA versus $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,252 in Seattle, WA versus $3,194 in Barnegat, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barnegat, NJ – a meal for two runs $148 versus $121 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. Barnegat, 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 Barnegat, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.