Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bergen County, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Bergen County, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $4,342 in Bergen County, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $5,440 in Bergen County, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $6,537 in Bergen County, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 11% less than in Bergen County, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Bergen County, NJ 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$22.75 $22.75

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$84.8 $84.8

17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$12.41 $12.41

21.35%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$5.31 $5.31

19.96%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.98 $2.98

3.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.19 $2.19

36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$8.06 $8.06

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.90 $7.90

3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.42 $1.42

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.35 $4.35

14.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$8.70 $8.70

-26.55%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$5.01 $5.01

2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$12.59 $12.59

67.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.02 $12.02

52.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$17.49 $17.49

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.40 $5.40

9.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.72 $1.72

9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.97 $4.97

6.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$4.83 $4.83

33.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.81 $2.81

30.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.04 $3.04

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.51 $2.51

11.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.38 $2.38

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$13.09 $13.09

6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$24.39 $24.39

-38.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.76 $1.76

143.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.48 $4.48

30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.29 $4.29

-31.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$169 $169

-35.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.78 $2.78

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.55 $1.55

10.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$23.61 $23.61

28.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.06 $1.06

32.08%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.9K $36.9K

-2.29%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.3K $25.3K

0.92%

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

$299 $299

$209 $209

43.50%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$74.8 $74.8

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$65.4 $65.4

34.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$98.4 $98.4

-18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

$50.8 $50.8

-31.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$15.65 $15.65

13.10%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$2,290 $2,290

31.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$23.4K $23.4K

32.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$49.21 $49.21

57.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.94 $47.94

14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$80.9 $80.9

58.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$152 $152

5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$2,727 $2,727

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$2,668 $2,668

-27.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$4,682 $4,682

1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$3,027 $3,027

20.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$3,977 $3,977

90.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$3,715 $3,715

37.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$5,520 $5,520

12.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.16

4.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $464 per month, with Bergen County, 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 Bergen County, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Bergen County, NJ differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($3,880 vs $4,342 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seattle, WA – a meal for two runs $100 versus $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,880 per month in Seattle, WA versus $4,342 in Bergen County, NJ – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.