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: $3,533 in Seattle, WA versus $2,559 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $3,811 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,565 in Seattle, WA versus $5,064 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Perth Amboy, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 165% above, Perth Amboy, NJ 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.41 $25.41

$20.04 $20.04

26.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$78.6 $78.6

54.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 $13.81

$14.78 $14.78

-6.56%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$5.05 $5.05

16.04%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.50 $2.50

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.98 $1.98

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.11 $8.11

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$8.24 $8.24

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.10 $1.10

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.25 $2.25

117.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$9.37 $9.37

-44.72%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$2.91 $2.91

135.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.93 $24.93

$12.11 $12.11

105.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$11.30 $11.30

38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$22.48 $22.48

-10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$7.45 $7.45

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.60 $2.60

9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.35 $5.35

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$5.95 $5.95

12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.47 $1.47

113.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.47 $1.47

151.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.49 $1.49

87.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.99 $2.99

-11.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$11.07 $11.07

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 $15.53

$12.08 $12.08

28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.70 $1.70

68.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$6.37 $6.37

-34.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.98 $1.98

40.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 $97.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.86 $5.86

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.59 $1.59

5.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$42.03 $42.03

-29.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.83 $0.83

37.35%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

9.17%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

0.33%

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

$263 $263

$179 $179

46.50%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$24.46 $24.46

149.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$54.9 $54.9

35.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.7 $79.7

$43.70 $43.70

82.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.05 $41.05

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 $15.81

$14.74 $14.74

7.26%

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

$2,289 $2,289

$1,852 $1,852

23.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$40.8K $40.8K

-27.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$32.93 $32.93

106.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.1 $55.1

-5.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$74.6 $74.6

56.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$97.0 $97.0

43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 $2,377

$1,587 $1,587

49.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 $1,874

$1,361 $1,361

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$2,610 $2,610

82.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,575 $3,575

$2,182 $2,182

63.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,026 $8,026

$3,061 $3,061

162.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,203 $5,203

$2,027 $2,027

156.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,621 $6,621

$3,439 $3,439

92.52%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,377 in Seattle, WA and $1,587 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 93% 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: $121 in Seattle, WA vs $79.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $540 vs $441 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 38% 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: $2,377 in Seattle, WA versus $1,587 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,289 in Seattle, WA versus $1,852 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 $121 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. 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 $2,559 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 38% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.