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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,768 in Passaic, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,124 in Passaic, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,481 in Passaic, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 30% more expensive than Passaic, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Passaic, NJ 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$17.11 $17.11

44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$98.3 $98.3

19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$11.96 $11.96

15.13%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.85 $5.85

-2.39%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.26 $2.26

34.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.62 $1.62

54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.96 $6.96

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.93 $6.93

13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.32 $1.32

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.14 $4.14

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.81 $5.81

-7.23%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$6.60 $6.60

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$17.31 $17.31

44.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.48 $10.48

51.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$19.58 $19.58

5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.78 $5.78

6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.56 $2.56

10.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.37 $4.37

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.37 $4.37

54.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.73 $3.73

-15.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.01 $4.01

-4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.02 $3.02

-10.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.74 $2.74

-3.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$17.52 $17.52

-33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.76 $14.76

6.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.82 $1.82

60.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.88 $3.88

9.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.97 $1.97

43.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$121 $121

-16.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.07 $3.07

-15.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.23 $2.23

-22.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$42.67 $42.67

-29.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.96 $0.96

23.96%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$23.2K $23.2K

41.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.81%

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

$263 $263

$181 $181

44.67%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$54.3 $54.3

12.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$58.9 $58.9

28.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.74 $42.74

86.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$20.03 $20.03

-18.77%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,476 $1,476

54.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$16.0K $16.0K

83.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$50.3 $50.3

36.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$48.54 $48.54

7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$85.5 $85.5

35.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$97.5 $97.5

47.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,590 $1,590

46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,330 $1,330

40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,619 $2,619

76.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,246 $2,246

54.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,531 $2,531

206.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,315 $2,315

126.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.44

-0.31%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Passaic, NJ: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,590 in Passaic, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $98.0 in Passaic, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $461 per month, with Passaic, 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 Passaic, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passaic, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Passaic, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,397 in Seattle, WA and $4,152 in Passaic, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,590 in Passaic, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Passaic, NJ – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Passaic, 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 Passaic, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,768 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Passaic, NJ hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Passaic, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.