Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and West New York, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in West New York, NJ: $1,328 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $29,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in West New York, NJ
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West New York, NJ Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

West New York, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,328

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,800 in Seattle, WA versus $1,328 in West New York, NJ.

Seattle, WA $3,800
West New York, NJ $1,328

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,702 in Seattle, WA versus $2,216 in West New York, NJ.

Seattle, WA $5,702
West New York, NJ $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,603 in Seattle, WA versus $3,105 in West New York, NJ.

Seattle, WA $7,603
West New York, NJ $3,105

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 186% more expensive than in West New York, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seattle, WA is 182% above, West New York, NJ is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$19.37 $19.37

30.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.7 $80.7

25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$12.85 $12.85

15.56%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.14 $5.14

28.21%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.47 $2.47

30.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.12 $1.12

180.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.83 $5.83

40.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.11 $7.11

12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.33 $1.33

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.61 $4.61

11.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.14 $6.14

2.61%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$5.09 $5.09

-3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$13.84 $13.84

38.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$10.32 $10.32

79.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$19.61 $19.61

17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$6.08 $6.08

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.60 $3.60

-45.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.22 $4.22

25.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$5.20 $5.20

24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.11 $3.11

14.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.11 $3.11

1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.00 $3.00

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.07 $3.07

-21.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$12.15 $12.15

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.23 $15.23

-1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.85 $1.85

125.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.56 $3.56

68.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.73 $3.73

-18.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$125 $125

-11.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.05 $3.05

-16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.14 $2.14

-23.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$41.57 $41.57

-28.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.86 $0.86

65.12%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.5K $35.5K

0.62%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

2.29%

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

$299 $299

$85.6 $85.6

249.47%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$49.16 $49.16

44.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$50.7 $50.7

74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 $79.5

$29.02 $29.02

173.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$20.62 $20.62

-16.97%

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

$3,013 $3,013

$1,980 $1,980

52.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$15.9K $15.9K

99.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$49.87 $49.87

54.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$81.3 $81.3

-32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$86.4 $86.4

45.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$101 $101

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,629 $2,629

-6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,711 $4,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,550 $3,550

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$5,369 $5,369

17.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.36

7.70%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for West New York, NJ: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5%

West New York, NJ

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3%

West New York, NJ

$462 34.8% 14.6% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1%

West New York, NJ

$185 14% 59.5% $273

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8%

West New York, NJ

$313 23.6% 23.4% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

West New York, NJ

$143 10.8% 24.2% $46

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5%

West New York, NJ

$153 11.5% 15.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

West New York, NJ

$70 5.3% 38.2% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Seattle, WA and $2,629 in West New York, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 17% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in West New York, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 vs $462 per month, with West New York, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 West New York, NJ

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

13:12 1:12 PM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

49,708

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA West New York, NJ 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs West New York, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

West New York, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $2,464 in Seattle, WA versus $2,629 in West New York, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in West New York, NJ – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,800 per month in Seattle, WA versus $1,328 in West New York, NJ – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. West New York, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find West New York, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.