Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Elizabeth, NJ: $3,186 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
Learn more

Elizabeth, NJ Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Elizabeth, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Elizabeth, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Elizabeth, NJ $3,186

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Elizabeth, NJ $4,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Elizabeth, NJ $5,720

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Elizabeth, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Elizabeth, NJ 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.71 $19.71

24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$80.4 $80.4

22.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.89 $11.89

24.39%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.45 $5.45

19.63%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.43 $2.43

32.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.49 $1.49

112.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.78 $7.78

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.15 $7.15

12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.27 $1.27

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.50 $4.50

14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.96 $5.96

1.51%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$6.52 $6.52

-25.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$15.31 $15.31

25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.83 $11.83

59.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.73 $19.73

18.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.95 $5.95

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.55 $3.55

-45.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.20 $4.20

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.42 $5.42

21.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.99 $2.99

21.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.95 $2.95

12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.00 $3.00

-7.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.52 $2.52

-0.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.62 $14.62

-16.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.29 $15.29

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.70 $2.70

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.41 $3.41

69.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.88 $2.88

2.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$76.0 $76.0

39.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.92 $2.92

-9.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.11 $2.11

-18.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$42.39 $42.39

-29.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.09 $1.09

36.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.47%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.19%

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

$302 $302

$247 $247

22.02%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.0 $51.0

37.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$50.1 $50.1

70.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$24.78 $24.78

214.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$20.03 $20.03

-10.93%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$2,012 $2,012

47.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$16.2K $16.2K

93.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.63 $49.63

54.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$77.6 $77.6

-30.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.9 $87.9

45.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$122 $122

34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,181 $2,181

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,718 $1,718

13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,668 $2,668

77.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,492 $2,492

39.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$1,297 $1,297

467.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$1,143 $1,143

348.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$3,997 $3,997

62.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.67

3.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9% 11.8% $229

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9% 12.9% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9% 23.8% $109

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3% 18% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8% 20.4% $39

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2% 21.9% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2% 42.9% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 63% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $475 per month, with Elizabeth, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

05:33 5:33 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

126,179

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Elizabeth, NJ 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Elizabeth, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 ($3,782 vs $3,186 including rent). Elizabeth, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $2,012 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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.