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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,373 in Edison, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,737 in Edison, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,101 in Edison, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 7% more expensive than Edison, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Edison, NJ 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.07 $20.07

23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$80.9 $80.9

45.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$12.62 $12.62

9.11%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.14 $5.14

11.09%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.44 $2.44

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.13 $2.13

17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.02 $8.02

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.23 $8.23

-4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.23 $1.23

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.00 $4.00

26.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.21 $6.21

-13.20%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.15 $4.15

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$13.54 $13.54

85.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$12.39 $12.39

27.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$15.26 $15.26

34.93%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.26 $6.26

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.58 $2.58

9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.30 $5.30

3.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.18 $6.18

9.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.33 $4.33

-27.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.38 $4.38

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.48 $2.48

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.29 $2.29

15.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.10 $11.10

4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.28 $15.28

2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.75 $1.75

67.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.69 $3.69

14.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$6.03 $6.03

-53.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$203 $203

-50.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.98 $2.98

-12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.97 $0.97

77.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$42.67 $42.67

-29.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.93 $0.93

27.96%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

27.59%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.76%

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

$263 $263

$181 $181

45.26%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$60.5 $60.5

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$67.3 $67.3

12.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$21.82 $21.82

264.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.94 $14.94

8.90%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,882 $1,882

21.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$14.1K $14.1K

107.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$62.5 $62.5

9.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$55.5 $55.5

-6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$112 $112

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$132 $132

8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,153 $2,153

8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,801 $1,801

3.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$3,210 $3,210

44.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,822 $2,822

23.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,796 $6,796

-2.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.55

-1.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $2,153 in Edison, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edison, NJ pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in Edison, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $447 per month, with Edison, 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 Edison, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Edison, NJ differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $3,373 including rent). Edison, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Edison, NJ earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $2,153 in Edison, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Edison, NJ runs roughly 103% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,882 in Edison, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Edison, 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 Edison, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.