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: $3,634 in Seattle, WA versus $3,999 in Bergen County, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,545 in Seattle, WA versus $5,116 in Bergen County, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,456 in Seattle, WA versus $6,234 in Bergen County, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 9% less than in Bergen County, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Bergen County, NJ 198% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$19.67 $19.67

25.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$83.9 $83.9

41.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.20 $14.20

-2.96%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$5.06 $5.06

10.87%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.49 $2.49

16.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.17 $2.17

13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$7.03 $7.03

13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$9.13 $9.13

-10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.25 $1.25

11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.52 $4.52

7.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$8.57 $8.57

-39.79%

Eggs

$6.61 $6.61

$4.93 $4.93

34.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 $25.06

$16.79 $16.79

49.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$11.85 $11.85

33.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 $20.32

$17.94 $17.94

13.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.96 $4.96

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.70 $1.70

61.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$3.90 $3.90

36.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$4.23 $4.23

53.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.90 $2.90

6.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.97 $3.97

-2.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.46 $2.46

11.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.23 $2.23

14.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.35 $11.35

$13.57 $13.57

-16.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 $15.48

$15.08 $15.08

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.76 $1.76

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.62 $3.62

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.11 $4.11

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$169 $169

-41.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.93 $2.93

-12.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.41 $1.41

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.17 $30.17

$24.05 $24.05

25.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.91 $0.91

26.37%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$29.1K $29.1K

14.29%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.22%

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

$263 $263

$128 $128

105.48%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$44.66 $44.66

34.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$65.6 $65.6

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 $80.6

$43.84 $43.84

83.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 $15.91

$16.68 $16.68

-4.62%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$2,271 $2,271

0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$23.8K $23.8K

25.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$75.9 $75.9

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$23.72 $23.72

126.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$86.0 $86.0

38.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 $2,312

$2,725 $2,725

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$2,694 $2,694

-32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,694 $4,694

$4,568 $4,568

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

$3,013 $3,013

15.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,154 $8,154

$3,889 $3,889

109.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,200 $5,200

$3,811 $3,811

36.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,564 $6,564

$5,498 $5,498

19.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.57

-2.28%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,312 in Seattle, WA and $2,725 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $446 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 10% in total monthly costs ($3,634 vs $3,999 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 19% 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: $2,312 in Seattle, WA versus $2,725 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 $119 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,634 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,999 in Bergen County, NJ – a 10% 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 10% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.