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: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $2,649 in Barnegat, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $3,885 in Barnegat, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $5,121 in Barnegat, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 46% more expensive than in Barnegat, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Barnegat, NJ 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$17.77 $17.77

40.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$97.0 $97.0

3.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$10.60 $10.60

42.08%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$5.18 $5.18

22.97%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.37 $3.37

-8.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.59 $2.59

15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$6.80 $6.80

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.22 $8.22

-0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.15 $1.15

5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.09 $4.09

22.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.06 $4.06

57.39%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$4.93 $4.93

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$12.74 $12.74

65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.81 $12.81

43.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$18.81 $18.81

27.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$6.03 $6.03

-2.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.62 $1.62

16.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.62 $5.62

-5.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$4.08 $4.08

58.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.79 $2.79

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.91 $2.91

15.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.47 $2.47

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.35 $2.35

9.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$14.11 $14.11

-1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.71 $15.71

-4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.54 $2.54

68.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.83 $3.83

53.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.07 $2.07

41.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.77 $1.77

45.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.41 $1.41

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$23.83 $23.83

27.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.96 $0.96

45.83%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.6K $36.6K

-1.33%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.11%

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

$299 $299

$214 $214

39.93%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$67.4 $67.4

2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$85.3 $85.3

2.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$42.48 $42.48

88.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$15.23 $15.23

16.22%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$1,983 $1,983

52.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$34.6K $34.6K

-10.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$53.2 $53.2

45.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$64.2 $64.2

-14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$92.2 $92.2

39.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$111 $111

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$1,653 $1,653

50.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$1,310 $1,310

47.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$2,764 $2,764

72.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$2,058 $2,058

76.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$3,046 $3,046

148.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$2,712 $2,712

88.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.26

3.04%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barnegat, NJ: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $1,653 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $97.0 in Barnegat, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $434 per month, with Barnegat, 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 Barnegat, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Barnegat, NJ differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($3,880 vs $2,649 including rent). Barnegat, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,820 in Seattle, WA and $3,973 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: $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $1,653 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,020 in Seattle, WA versus $1,983 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 $97.0 versus $100 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 46% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.