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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,604 in Seattle, WA versus $3,826 in Morristown, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $4,597 in Morristown, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Seattle, WA versus $5,368 in Morristown, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 6% less than in Morristown, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Morristown, NJ 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.78 $24.78

$20.02 $20.02

23.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$78.4 $78.4

55.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.10 $12.10

15.87%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.17 $5.17

7.54%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.54 $2.54

20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.03 $3.03

-21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.88 $4.88

62.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.93 $6.93

16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.08 $1.08

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.99 $3.99

24.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.30 $4.30

24.42%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$5.70 $5.70

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.87 $24.87

$25.68 $25.68

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$6.56 $6.56

142.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$22.73 $22.73

-11.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$7.48 $7.48

-17.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.60 $2.60

6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.20 $5.20

3.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$11.45 $11.45

-43.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.77 $2.77

15.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.61 $3.61

3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$0.77 $0.77

268.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.52 $0.52

403.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$11.09 $11.09

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$14.77 $14.77

4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.04 $2.04

38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.54 $2.54

67.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.50 $2.50

10.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$68.6 $68.6

42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$6.09 $6.09

-57.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.18 $2.18

-24.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$42.84 $42.84

-30.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.88 $0.88

29.55%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$29.9K $29.9K

10.98%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.23%

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

$270 $270

$183 $183

46.95%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$49.63 $49.63

20.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$56.3 $56.3

32.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$73.7 $73.7

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.03 $41.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$15.20 $15.20

3.82%

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

$2,279 $2,279

$1,816 $1,816

25.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$40.4K $40.4K

-26.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$39.71 $39.71

75.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$19.08 $19.08

173.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$78.7 $78.7

49.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$200 $200

-28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$2,357 $2,357

-1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 $1,899

$2,426 $2,426

-21.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$4,282 $4,282

11.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,472 $3,472

$2,207 $2,207

57.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 $7,709

$2,734 $2,734

181.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,983 $4,983

$2,288 $2,288

117.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,641 $6,641

$5,662 $5,662

17.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.26

2.56%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 19, 2026

Last update for Morristown, NJ: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Seattle, WA and $2,357 in Morristown, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Seattle, WA vs $78.0 in Morristown, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $470 per month, with Morristown, 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 Morristown, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Morristown, NJ differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($3,604 vs $3,826 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $2,332 in Seattle, WA versus $2,357 in Morristown, 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 42% less than in Morristown, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,279 in Seattle, WA versus $1,816 in Morristown, 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Seattle, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,604 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seattle, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Morristown, 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 Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Morristown, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.