Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Montclair, NJ: $2,899 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Montclair, NJ
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Montclair, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Montclair, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,899

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Montclair, 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 Montclair, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,899 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Montclair, NJ $2,899

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,264 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Montclair, NJ $4,264

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,629 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Montclair, NJ $5,629

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than Montclair, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Montclair, NJ sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Montclair, NJ by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.04 $20.04

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.7 $80.7

25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.14 $13.14

12.33%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.35 $6.35

2.36%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.45 $2.45

31.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.46 $1.46

115.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.14 $8.14

-2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.17 $7.17

13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.27 $1.27

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.48 $4.48

18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.05 $6.05

5.79%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$6.13 $6.13

-17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.76 $13.76

35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.20 $10.20

83.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.41 $19.41

17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.04 $6.04

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.26 $2.26

-13.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.22 $4.22

30.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.44 $5.44

19.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.14 $3.14

11.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.00 $3.00

9.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.90 $2.90

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.71 $2.71

-4.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$14.55 $14.55

-14.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.14 $15.14

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.86 $1.86

125.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.57 $3.57

62.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.06 $3.06

-15.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.19 $2.19

-25.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$42.69 $42.69

-29.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.13 $1.13

24.78%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

33.40%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.52%

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

$308 $308

$170 $170

80.52%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$51.6 $51.6

34.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$50.5 $50.5

70.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$80.8 $80.8

-5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$20.23 $20.23

-10.92%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,998 $1,998

37.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.2K $16.2K

88.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$70.1 $70.1

12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$51.0 $51.0

6.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$101 $101

26.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$120 $120

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,261 $2,261

10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,540 $1,540

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,631 $3,631

40.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,557 $2,557

38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.8

1.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Montclair, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Montclair, NJ

$1.5K 53.1% 20.6% $399

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Montclair, NJ

$451 15.6% 17.6% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Montclair, NJ

$273 9.4% 41.1% $190

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Montclair, NJ

$347 12% 14.7% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Montclair, NJ

$154 5.3% 18.4% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Montclair, NJ

$14 * 0.5% 89.2% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Montclair, NJ

$121 4.2% 7.8% $8.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,261 in Montclair, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $81 in Montclair, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $451 – making Montclair, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Montclair, NJ

🕒 Local time

15:13 3:13 PM

18:13 6:13 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

37,669

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Montclair, NJ 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Montclair, 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 Montclair, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,348 in Montclair, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montclair, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,261 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,899 in Montclair, NJ. That makes Montclair, NJ about 23% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,998 in Montclair, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,899 in Montclair, NJ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montclair, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.