Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and North Brunswick, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and North Brunswick, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,661 in Seattle, WA versus $2,582 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,544 in Seattle, WA versus $3,782 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,427 in Seattle, WA versus $4,981 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 42% more expensive than North Brunswick, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 173% above, North Brunswick, NJ 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.18 $19.18

32.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$73.8 $73.8

64.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 $14.11

$10.91 $10.91

29.33%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$4.96 $4.96

17.34%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.47 $2.47

20.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.05 $2.05

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 $7.73

$5.87 $5.87

31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.11 $7.11

10.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.00 $1.00

34.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.59 $3.59

36.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.27 $4.27

20.37%

Eggs

$6.57 $6.57

$4.11 $4.11

59.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$12.08 $12.08

103.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$11.34 $11.34

40.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 $20.14

$15.65 $15.65

28.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$4.98 $4.98

25.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.58 $1.58

81.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.20 $4.20

25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.66 $4.66

37.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.86 $2.86

12.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.78 $2.78

37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.04 $2.04

34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.11 $2.11

22.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$9.69 $9.69

20.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$15.45 $15.45

2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.77 $1.77

62.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.28 $3.28

33.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.94 $1.94

42.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.40 $3.40

-21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.65 $1.65

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$29.65 $29.65

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.91 $0.91

25.27%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

12.31%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.30%

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

$268 $268

$191 $191

40.53%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$52.0 $52.0

17.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$68.6 $68.6

11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 $78.1

$43.22 $43.22

80.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.15 $40.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$13.73 $13.73

15.22%

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

$2,252 $2,252

$1,310 $1,310

71.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$23.4K $23.4K

26.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$50.5 $50.5

40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$40.23 $40.23

32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$86.1 $86.1

36.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$111 $111

24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,630 $1,630

41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 $1,849

$1,365 $1,365

35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,739 $4,739

$2,645 $2,645

79.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,259 $2,259

57.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 $7,775

$2,635 $2,635

195.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 $5,351

$2,492 $2,492

114.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,575 $6,575

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.51

-1.38%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 21, 2026

Last update for North Brunswick, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Seattle, WA and $1,630 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $74 in North Brunswick, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $539 vs $388 per month, with North Brunswick, 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 North Brunswick, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Brunswick, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,491 in Seattle, WA and $3,874 in North Brunswick, NJ to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,310 in Seattle, WA versus $1,630 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,252 in Seattle, WA versus $1,310 in North Brunswick, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in North Brunswick, NJ – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $121 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. North Brunswick, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, North Brunswick, 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and North Brunswick, 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 North Brunswick, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.