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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $5,210 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $7,002 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 13% more expensive than in Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Hackensack, NJ 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$24.66 $24.66

1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$101 $101

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$13.16 $13.16

14.44%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$5.34 $5.34

19.29%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.38 $2.38

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.60 $1.60

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$8.05 $8.05

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.84 $7.84

4.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.32 $1.32

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.31 $4.31

15.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$5.90 $5.90

8.31%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$5.87 $5.87

-12.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$12.31 $12.31

71.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$7.79 $7.79

135.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$16.94 $16.94

41.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.37 $5.37

9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.73 $1.73

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.37 $4.37

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$5.03 $5.03

28.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.08 $3.08

19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.09 $3.09

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.86 $2.86

-2.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.92 $2.92

-11.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$11.25 $11.25

23.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.14 $15.14

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.70 $1.70

151.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.47 $3.47

68.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.40 $3.40

-14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.5 $60.5

79.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.97 $2.97

-13.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.01 $2.01

-14.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$23.81 $23.81

27.68%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

1.31%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

3.00%

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

$299 $299

$211 $211

41.78%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$56.1 $56.1

23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$49.64 $49.64

76.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$44.22 $44.22

81.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$20.19 $20.19

-12.33%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$1,384 $1,384

118.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$16.0K $16.0K

93.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$44.08 $44.08

75.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$56.7 $56.7

-2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.0 $88.0

45.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

57.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$2,363 $2,363

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$1,932 $1,932

-0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$4,236 $4,236

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$3,717 $3,717

-2.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$3,553 $3,553

113.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$3,364 $3,364

51.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$6,205 $6,205

0.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.28

2.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 0% 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: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Hackensack, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $552 vs $418, with Hackensack, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hackensack, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hackensack, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hackensack, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 0% 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 $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,020 in Seattle, WA versus $1,384 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Hackensack, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hackensack, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hackensack, NJ hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Hackensack, NJ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hackensack, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.