Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Somerset, NJ: $3,785 and $3,962 a month, rent and utilities included.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
190

Cost of Living Index in Somerset, NJ
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Somerset, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Somerset, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,962

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,962 in Somerset, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Somerset, NJ $3,962

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,428 in Somerset, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Somerset, NJ $4,428

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,895 in Somerset, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Somerset, NJ $4,895

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 4% less than in Somerset, NJ.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Somerset, NJ 191% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$17.73 $17.73

42.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$39.35 $39.35

156.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$7.91 $7.91

86.60%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.03 $5.03

29.22%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$1.96 $1.96

63.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.54 $1.54

103.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.18 $8.18

-2.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.96 $6.96

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.47 $4.47

18.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.95 $5.95

7.56%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.05 $2.05

146.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.03 $13.03

43.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.40 $10.40

80.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$20.19 $20.19

13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.94 $5.94

2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.48 $3.48

-43.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.22 $4.22

30.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.43 $5.43

20.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.12 $3.12

11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.06 $3.06

7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.45 $2.45

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.05 $3.05

-15.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$15.01 $15.01

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.77 $14.77

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.85 $1.85

126.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.47 $3.47

67.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.06 $2.06

48.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$67.2 $67.2

57.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.92 $2.92

-11.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.21 $2.21

-25.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$41.53 $41.53

-27.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.09 $1.09

29.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

31.72%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.97%

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

$308 $308

$169 $169

81.56%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$51.7 $51.7

33.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$50.5 $50.5

70.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$40.94 $40.94

86.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$20.65 $20.65

-12.74%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$2,040 $2,040

34.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$15.7K $15.7K

94.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$49.81 $49.81

58.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.80 $40.80

33.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$85.8 $85.8

47.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$104 $104

52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,581 $1,581

58.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,655 $2,655

-26.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,533 $2,533

102.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,142 $2,142

65.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,682 $2,682

174.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,400 $2,400

108.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.8

1.32%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Somerset, NJ: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Somerset, NJ

$2.7K 67% 36.9% $716

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Somerset, NJ

$443 11.2% 19% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Somerset, NJ

$272 6.9% 41.3% $191

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Somerset, NJ

$295 7.4% 27.5% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Somerset, NJ

$126 3.2% 33% $62

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Somerset, NJ

$89 2.3% 30.7% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Somerset, NJ

$82 2.1% 26.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,581 in Somerset, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $39 in Somerset, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $443 per month, with Somerset, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Somerset, NJ

🕒 Local time

08:11 8:11 AM

11:11 11:11 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

11,924

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

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Somerset, 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 Somerset, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You’d need roughly $5,677 in Seattle, WA and $5,943 in Somerset, 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,581 in Somerset, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset, NJ – a meal for two runs $39 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,962 in Somerset, NJ – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA 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.