Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Jersey City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Jersey City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $3,928 in Jersey City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $5,516 in Jersey City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $7,104 in Jersey City, NJ.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Jersey City, NJ 193% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$19.95 $19.95

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$99.2 $99.2

20.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$14.10 $14.10

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.46 $5.46

1.83%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.45 $2.45

24.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.87 $1.87

32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$6.93 $6.93

14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.97 $8.97

-10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.29 $1.29

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.79 $3.79

33.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$4.92 $4.92

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$21.58 $21.58

17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$12.03 $12.03

34.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$16.91 $16.91

20.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.02 $5.02

18.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.77 $1.77

54.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.07 $4.07

31.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$4.23 $4.23

56.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.89 $2.89

12.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.77 $3.77

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.40 $2.40

13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.66 $2.66

-4.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$12.09 $12.09

-6.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$15.12 $15.12

7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.69 $1.69

68.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$6.16 $6.16

-32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.72 $2.72

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$93.4 $93.4

3.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.02 $3.02

-10.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.78 $1.78

-2.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$24.43 $24.43

20.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.85 $0.85

41.18%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$34.8K $34.8K

-3.50%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

4.51%

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

$266 $266

$125 $125

113.06%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$44.45 $44.45

35.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$65.0 $65.0

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$80.2 $80.2

-1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

$43.94 $43.94

-7.81%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$17.34 $17.34

-6.46%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$2,248 $2,248

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

22.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$75.6 $75.6

-7.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$64.1 $64.1

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$76.1 $76.1

57.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$134 $134

6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$3,328 $3,328

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$2,457 $2,457

-24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$6,213 $6,213

-23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$3,629 $3,629

-3.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

$7,901 $7,901

-2.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

$5,593 $5,593

-3.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$5,927 $5,927

9.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.62

-3.02%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jersey City, NJ: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $3,328 in Jersey City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 10% 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 $99.0 in Jersey City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $449 per month, with Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seattle, WA pays 10% 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: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $3,328 in Jersey City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 4% less than in Jersey City, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,280 in Seattle, WA versus $2,248 in Jersey City, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jersey City, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Jersey City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.