Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in North Brunswick, NJ: $2,641 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 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
121

Cost of Living Index in North Brunswick, NJ
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North Brunswick, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

North Brunswick, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,641 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,782
North Brunswick, NJ $2,641

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,632 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,636
North Brunswick, NJ $3,632

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,623 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,489
North Brunswick, NJ $4,623

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 43% more expensive than in North Brunswick, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, North Brunswick, NJ 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.38 $20.38

20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$60.4 $60.4

62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.05 $12.05

22.74%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$3.04 $3.04

114.47%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.68 $2.68

20.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.18 $1.18

168.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.64 $6.64

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.94 $5.94

35.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.11 $1.11

9.01%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.60 $1.60

221.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.62 $5.62

7.65%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.59 $4.59

6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.21 $13.21

45.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$17.20 $17.20

9.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$15.96 $15.96

46.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.96 $3.96

51.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.86 $1.86

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.27 $4.27

22.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.02 $6.02

9.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.23 $3.23

12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.37 $3.37

-1.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.32 $2.32

19.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.04 $2.04

23.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.66 $14.66

-16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$18.04 $18.04

-17.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.60 $2.60

62.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.11 $4.11

40.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.99 $1.99

48.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.81 $2.81

-5.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.67 $3.67

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$49.62 $49.62

-40.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.4K $27.4K

31.05%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.90%

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

$302 $302

$127 $127

137.74%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$47.32 $47.32

48.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$56.7 $56.7

50.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$47.51 $47.51

63.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.03 $13.03

36.91%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,418 $1,418

109.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

34.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$54.1 $54.1

41.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.5 $50.5

7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$122 $122

4.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$132 $132

24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,430 $1,430

70.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,423 $1,423

36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,221 $2,221

113.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$1,902 $1,902

82.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,715 $2,715

171.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,046 $2,046

150.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

7.01

-1.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for North Brunswick, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

North Brunswick, NJ

$1.4K 53.9% 26.9% $523

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

North Brunswick, NJ

$427 16.2% 21.7% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

North Brunswick, NJ

$231 8.8% 49.5% $226

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

North Brunswick, NJ

$296 11.2% 25.9% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

North Brunswick, NJ

$161 6.1% 15.2% $29

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

North Brunswick, NJ

$29 * 1.1% 77.5% $100

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

North Brunswick, NJ

$74 2.8% 35.2% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,430 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $60.0 in North Brunswick, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $427 per month, with North Brunswick, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 North Brunswick, NJ

🕒 Local time

20:09 8:09 PM

23:09 11:09 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

43,905

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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Seattle, WA
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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, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,673 in Seattle, WA and $3,962 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,430 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,973 in Seattle, WA versus $1,418 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 $60.0 versus $98.0 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 43% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.