Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Perth Amboy, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Perth Amboy, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $2,621 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $3,872 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $5,123 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 37% more expensive than Perth Amboy, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Perth Amboy, NJ 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$20.26 $20.26

23.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$79.4 $79.4

50.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$15.20 $15.20

-8.55%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.15 $5.15

7.96%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.57 $2.57

19.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$8.01 $8.01

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.93 $7.93

1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.09 $1.09

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.18 $2.18

131.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$9.33 $9.33

-42.55%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$3.00 $3.00

119.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$12.32 $12.32

105.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$11.53 $11.53

40.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$22.46 $22.46

-9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.22 $7.22

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.59 $2.59

5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.44 $5.44

-1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$6.12 $6.12

8.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.40 $1.40

132.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.40 $1.40

170.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.46 $1.46

86.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.05 $3.05

-17.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$10.98 $10.98

3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.14 $12.14

34.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.70 $1.70

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$6.38 $6.38

-34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.04 $2.04

31.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$6.17 $6.17

-56.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.63 $1.63

6.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$42.40 $42.40

-30.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.82 $0.82

46.34%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$30.1K $30.1K

11.74%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

-3.87%

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

$266 $266

$180 $180

48.12%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$23.85 $23.85

153.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$56.3 $56.3

35.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$43.19 $43.19

83.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$14.77 $14.77

9.82%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$1,873 $1,873

21.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$40.4K $40.4K

-26.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$33.49 $33.49

107.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$54.9 $54.9

-4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$74.7 $74.7

60.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$94.4 $94.4

51.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,603 $1,603

48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$1,327 $1,327

40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$2,634 $2,634

79.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$2,217 $2,217

58.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

$2,957 $2,957

160.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

$2,387 $2,387

125.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$3,410 $3,410

90.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.55

-1.98%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $1,603 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 90% 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: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $79.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $443 per month, with Perth Amboy, 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 Perth Amboy, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth Amboy, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Perth Amboy, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 90% more on average, 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: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $1,603 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,280 in Seattle, WA versus $1,873 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Perth Amboy, NJ – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $119 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. Perth Amboy, 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 Perth Amboy, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,621 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Perth Amboy, NJ hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Perth Amboy, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.