Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Trenton, NJ: $2,563 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Trenton, NJ
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Trenton, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,563

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,563 in Trenton, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Trenton, NJ $2,563

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,114 in Trenton, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Trenton, NJ $4,114

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $5,665 in Trenton, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Trenton, NJ $5,665

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 48% more expensive than in Trenton, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Trenton, NJ 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$18.22 $18.22

38.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$65.4 $65.4

54.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.20 $12.20

20.98%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.86 $4.86

33.74%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.63 $2.63

22.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.15 $2.15

46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.97 $6.97

14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.77 $7.77

4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.95 $3.95

34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.74 $1.74

267.82%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.79 $4.79

5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.27 $12.27

52.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.07 $10.07

85.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$10.81 $10.81

111.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.39 $4.39

38.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.26 $2.26

-13.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.36 $3.36

63.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.42 $4.42

47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.03 $2.03

71.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.40 $3.40

-3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.97 $1.97

42.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.03 $2.03

27.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$14.66 $14.66

-14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$7.86 $7.86

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.67 $2.67

56.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.40 $3.40

70.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.81 $1.81

68.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$56.4 $56.4

87.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.07 $3.07

-15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.12 $2.12

-22.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$42.52 $42.52

-29.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.92 $0.92

53.26%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$30.8K $30.8K

19.52%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.74%

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

$308 $308

$139 $139

120.84%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$60.8 $60.8

13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$63.0 $63.0

36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$30.07 $30.07

154.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.53 $12.53

43.81%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$3,019 $3,019

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$34.7K $34.7K

-11.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.6 $61.6

28.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$50.5 $50.5

7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.4 $89.4

41.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,724 $1,724

45.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,362 $1,362

42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,398 $2,398

113.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,991 $2,991

18.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,075 $3,075

139.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,069 $3,069

62.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,335 $3,335

94.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.67

3.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Trenton, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Trenton, NJ

$1.4K 53.2% 29.7% $576

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Trenton, NJ

$350 13.6% 36.1% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Trenton, NJ

$263 10.3% 43.1% $200

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Trenton, NJ

$310 12.1% 23.7% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Trenton, NJ

$145 5.7% 23% $43

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Trenton, NJ

$77 3% 40% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Trenton, NJ

$55 2.2% 51% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,724 in Trenton, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 94% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $65 in Trenton, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $350 per month, with Trenton, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Trenton, NJ

🕒 Local time

08:02 8:02 AM

11:02 11:02 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

83,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Trenton, NJ 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Trenton, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Trenton, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trenton, NJ is about 32% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,724 in Trenton, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Trenton, NJ – a meal for two runs $65 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 $2,563 in Trenton, NJ – Trenton, NJ is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,563 in Trenton, NJ versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Trenton, NJ but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Trenton, NJ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Trenton, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.