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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,821 in Summit, NJ versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,974 in Summit, NJ versus $5,763 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,126 in Summit, NJ versus $7,691 in Seattle, WA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Summit, NJ 178% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$24.68 $24.68

-0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.1 $99.1

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$15.09 $15.09

-26.57%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$6.62 $6.62

-16.62%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.98 $2.98

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.12 $8.12

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.85 $7.85

2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$5.20 $5.20

-24.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.40 $6.40

-3.75%

Eggs

$5.56 $5.56

$4.91 $4.91

13.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$21.46 $21.46

-33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 $10.47

$18.58 $18.58

-43.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 $17.46

$23.05 $23.05

-24.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.79 $5.79

4.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.88 $1.88

-5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.38 $5.38

-19.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.30 $6.30

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.80 $3.80

-21.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.26 $3.26

13.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.87 $2.87

8.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.71 $2.71

5.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$14.15 $14.15

-19.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 $20.01

$15.07 $15.07

32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$4.36 $4.36

-59.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.75 $5.75

-5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.57 $2.57

15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.65 $1.65

20.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.79 $23.79

$29.88 $29.88

-20.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.38 $1.38

-21.01%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.4K $36.4K

-1.16%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.1K $25.1K

0.40%

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

$211 $211

$296 $296

-28.58%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$71.3 $71.3

-15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 $50.3

$88.0 $88.0

-42.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 $80.3

$81.5 $81.5

-1.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.70 $35.70

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$18.33 $18.33

-18.49%

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

$1,750 $1,750

$3,067 $3,067

-42.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$30.6K $30.6K

-47.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.24 $41.24

$77.0 $77.0

-46.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 $58.1

$54.0 $54.0

7.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 $76.2

$128 $128

-40.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$165 $165

-26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 $2,803

$2,418 $2,418

15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,479 $2,479

$1,931 $1,931

28.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,491 $5,491

$4,756 $4,756

15.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,068 $5,068

$3,584 $3,584

41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,320 $6,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.42

-1.87%

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

Last update for Summit, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,803 in Summit, NJ and $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Summit, NJ vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $453 vs $554, 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

Summit, NJ vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $5,731 in Summit, NJ and $5,754 in Seattle, WA 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: $2,803 in Summit, NJ versus $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Summit, NJ – a meal for two runs $101 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $1,750 in Summit, NJ versus $3,067 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Summit, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Summit, 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.

Safety-wise, Summit, NJ and Seattle, WA 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 – Summit, NJ wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.