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: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $3,799 in Morristown, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,763 in Seattle, WA versus $5,327 in Morristown, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,691 in Seattle, WA versus $6,855 in Morristown, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 1% more expensive than in Morristown, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Morristown, NJ 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$18.89 $18.89

30.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$78.6 $78.6

26.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$11.77 $11.77

28.21%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.63 $5.63

17.58%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.45 $2.45

27.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.48 $1.48

101.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.09 $7.09

14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.90 $8.90

-11.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.27 $1.27

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.36 $4.36

19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.51 $4.51

41.91%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.89 $5.89

-16.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.46 $21.46

$14.23 $14.23

50.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$6.52 $6.52

184.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 $23.05

$19.46 $19.46

18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$6.17 $6.17

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$3.65 $3.65

-48.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.14 $4.14

29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.36 $5.36

17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.12 $3.12

21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.66 $3.66

-10.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.82 $0.82

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.52 $0.52

421.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.96 $12.96

9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.14 $15.14

-0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.85 $1.85

135.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.19 $3.19

80.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.53 $2.53

20.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$68.5 $68.5

60.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.94 $2.94

-12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.13 $2.13

-22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$41.64 $41.64

-28.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.91 $0.91

51.65%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$34.6K $34.6K

5.32%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.92%

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

$296 $296

$169 $169

74.87%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$51.0 $51.0

39.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$50.5 $50.5

74.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$79.2 $79.2

2.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.33 $18.33

$16.97 $16.97

8.01%

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

$3,067 $3,067

$2,378 $2,378

28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$15.7K $15.7K

94.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

$39.50 $39.50

94.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$27.47 $27.47

96.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.8 $87.8

45.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$103 $103

59.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$2,689 $2,689

-10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$2,435 $2,435

-20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$4,149 $4,149

14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 $3,584

$3,724 $3,724

-3.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,683 $2,683

175.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

$2,253 $2,253

124.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

$5,660 $5,660

11.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.21

3.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Morristown, NJ: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Seattle, WA and $2,689 in Morristown, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 12% 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: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $79.0 in Morristown, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $400 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

Morristown, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Morristown, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $2,418 in Seattle, WA versus $2,689 in Morristown, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Morristown, NJ runs roughly 61% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,067 in Seattle, WA versus $2,378 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 $2,000. Morristown, 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 Morristown, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,799 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Morristown, NJ 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 Morristown, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.