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: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $3,773 in Jersey City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $5,322 in Jersey City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $6,871 in Jersey City, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 3% more expensive than in Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Jersey City, NJ 176% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$25.31 $25.31

-1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$101 $101

-1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$11.09 $11.09

35.80%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$5.42 $5.42

17.53%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.22 $2.22

38.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.52 $1.52

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$8.10 $8.10

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.19 $8.19

0.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.33 $1.33

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.41 $4.41

13.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$7.65 $7.65

-16.47%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$5.85 $5.85

-12.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$12.67 $12.67

66.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.80 $11.80

55.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$17.52 $17.52

37.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.25 $5.25

12.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.76 $1.76

6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$6.40 $6.40

-17.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$5.09 $5.09

27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.63 $5.63

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.87 $3.87

-13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.90 $2.90

-3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$11.50 $11.50

21.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$24.02 $24.02

-37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.76 $1.76

143.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$5.47 $5.47

7.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.99 $2.99

-2.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$103 $103

5.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.98 $2.98

-13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.02 $2.02

-14.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$23.85 $23.85

27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.05 $1.05

33.33%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.7K $36.7K

-1.71%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.2K $25.2K

1.34%

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

$299 $299

$209 $209

43.10%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$74.4 $74.4

-6.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$64.3 $64.3

36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$55.6 $55.6

44.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

$43.53 $43.53

-19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$14.63 $14.63

20.98%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$2,206 $2,206

36.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

28.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$40.92 $40.92

88.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$57.1 $57.1

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$77.1 $77.1

66.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$157 $157

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$3,497 $3,497

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$2,288 $2,288

-15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$5,686 $5,686

-16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$3,294 $3,294

10.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$7,946 $7,946

-4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$5,604 $5,604

-8.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$6,296 $6,296

-1.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.22

3.70%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jersey City, NJ: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $3,497 in Jersey City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jersey City, NJ pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Jersey City, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $552 vs $487, with Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jersey City, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Jersey City, NJ. 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: $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $3,497 in Jersey City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jersey City, NJ runs roughly 6% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,020 in Seattle, WA versus $2,206 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. Jersey City, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Jersey City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.