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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $3,898 in Summit, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $6,126 in Summit, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $8,354 in Summit, NJ.

Monthly costs are close between Seattle, WA and Summit, NJ; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Summit, NJ 183% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$24.74 $24.74

2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.95 $10.95

35.16%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$5.27 $5.27

25.81%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.20 $2.20

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.48 $1.48

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.98 $7.98

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.80 $7.80

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.27 $1.27

-3.94%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.84 $3.84

33.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.00 $6.00

2.67%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$5.83 $5.83

-12.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$13.89 $13.89

53.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$10.25 $10.25

79.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$17.48 $17.48

31.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.98 $5.98

1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.71 $1.71

9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.23 $4.23

22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$4.81 $4.81

32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.09 $3.09

22.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.71 $3.71

-11.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.15 $3.15

-8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.82 $2.82

-5.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$11.60 $11.60

19.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$20.36 $20.36

-26.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.69 $1.69

146.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$5.27 $5.27

7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.96 $2.96

-13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.08 $2.08

-20.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$24.09 $24.09

22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.07 $1.07

36.45%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$34.8K $34.8K

3.42%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.49%

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

$306 $306

$207 $207

48.16%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$60.4 $60.4

16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$50.2 $50.2

74.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$78.7 $78.7

1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$15.23 $15.23

17.20%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$2,005 $2,005

50.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$15.7K $15.7K

97.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$41.20 $41.20

86.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$57.3 $57.3

-6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$75.6 $75.6

66.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$122 $122

32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,742 $2,742

-10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$2,476 $2,476

-20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$5,406 $5,406

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$4,932 $4,932

-26.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.28

2.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Summit, NJ: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $2,742 in Summit, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Summit, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $551 vs $448, with Summit, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

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 Summit, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $5,829 in Seattle, WA and $5,846 in Summit, 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: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $2,742 in Summit, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $2,005 in Summit, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Summit, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Summit, NJ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Seattle, WA wins on affordability, Summit, NJ on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.