Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Perth Amboy, NJ: $2,497 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Perth Amboy, NJ
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Perth Amboy, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Perth Amboy, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,497

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,497 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Perth Amboy, NJ $2,497

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $3,699 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Perth Amboy, NJ $3,699

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $4,901 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Perth Amboy, NJ $4,901

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 51% more expensive than in Perth Amboy, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Perth Amboy, NJ 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$18.95 $18.95

25.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$78.7 $78.7

25.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.92 $12.92

15.63%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$6.20 $6.20

9.52%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.57 $2.57

25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.52 $1.52

107.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.96 $8.96

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.83 $6.83

15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.14 $1.14

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.24 $2.24

136.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$6.16 $6.16

-6.49%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$2.94 $2.94

66.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$14.22 $14.22

42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$10.44 $10.44

71.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$19.88 $19.88

17.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.14 $6.14

-3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.48 $3.48

-45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.19 $4.19

27.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.20 $5.20

26.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.46 $1.46

132.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.39 $1.39

107.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.47 $1.47

96.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.92 $2.92

-16.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.82 $14.82

-17.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.85 $11.85

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.77 $1.77

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.64 $3.64

61.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.79 $1.79

65.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$57.9 $57.9

88.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.05 $3.05

-17.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.14 $2.14

-19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$41.29 $41.29

-28.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.07 $1.07

41.12%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.6K $27.6K

31.17%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.26%

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

$289 $289

$171 $171

68.71%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$23.96 $23.96

188.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$49.92 $49.92

69.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$39.57 $39.57

75.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$18.29 $18.29

-1.75%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,741 $1,741

61.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$20.4K $20.4K

115.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$32.70 $32.70

178.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$41.16 $41.16

33.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$77.3 $77.3

64.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$97.5 $97.5

66.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,604 $1,604

60.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,239 $1,239

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,931 $2,931

74.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,063 $2,063

71.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,800 $2,800

162.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,609 $2,609

88.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,333 $3,333

93.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.72

1.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$1.2K 49.6% 36.2% $704

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$407 16.3% 25.1% $137

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$245 9.8% 44.6% $198

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$340 13.6% 14.9% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$112 4.5% 42.9% $84

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$79 3.2% 40.4% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$76 3.1% 27.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $1,604 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 93% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $79 in Perth Amboy, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $407 per month, with Perth Amboy, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Perth Amboy, NJ

🕒 Local time

01:54 1:54 AM

04:54 4:54 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

48,607

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Perth Amboy, NJ 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Perth Amboy, NJ

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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 Perth Amboy, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth Amboy, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 34% 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.

Average pay runs 93% 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: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,604 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,819 in Seattle, WA versus $1,741 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Perth Amboy, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.