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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $4,570 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $5,919 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Elizabeth, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Elizabeth, NJ 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$20.11 $20.11

22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$80.1 $80.1

23.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$11.78 $11.78

28.10%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.44 $5.44

21.69%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.28 $2.28

37.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.47 $1.47

102.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$8.14 $8.14

-0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.10 $7.10

10.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.59 $4.59

13.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.92 $5.92

8.11%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$7.08 $7.08

-30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$15.16 $15.16

41.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$11.39 $11.39

63.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$20.12 $20.12

14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$6.19 $6.19

-6.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.93 $2.93

-35.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.25 $4.25

26.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.38 $5.38

17.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.13 $3.13

21.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.63 $3.63

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.93 $2.93

-2.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.62 $2.62

3.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$15.29 $15.29

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.26 $15.26

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.95 $2.95

47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.51 $3.51

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.06 $2.06

48.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$77.1 $77.1

42.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.04 $3.04

-15.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.16 $2.16

-23.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$42.27 $42.27

-29.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.02 $1.02

35.29%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.5K $35.5K

2.55%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

-0.54%

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

$296 $296

$267 $267

10.78%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$51.5 $51.5

38.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$50.9 $50.9

72.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$41.88 $41.88

94.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$20.06 $20.06

-8.62%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$1,762 $1,762

74.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.2K $16.2K

88.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$73.8 $73.8

4.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$80.8 $80.8

-33.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$123 $123

3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$125 $125

31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$2,161 $2,161

11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,728 $1,728

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,648 $2,648

79.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$2,528 $2,528

41.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,716 $2,716

172.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,382 $2,382

112.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$5,280 $5,280

19.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.32

1.58%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $478 per month, with Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($3,836 vs $3,222 including rent). Elizabeth, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $1,762 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.