Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Atlantic City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Atlantic City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,881 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $2,379 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,580 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $3,565 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,280 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $4,752 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Aliso Viejo, CA is roughly 63% more expensive than Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aliso Viejo, CA 190% above, Atlantic City, NJ 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$24.82 $24.82

2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$60.5 $60.5

67.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$12.12 $12.12

-7.43%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$5.49 $5.49

0.18%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$2.77 $2.77

7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.43 $2.43

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 $8.55

$6.81 $6.81

25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.02 $9.02

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.22 $1.22

-1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.18 $4.18

3.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$8.24 $8.24

-42.35%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$6.55 $6.55

-33.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$17.64 $17.64

-29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$16.37 $16.37

-30.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$20.15 $20.15

-28.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$4.46 $4.46

46.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.42 $2.42

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$5.81 $5.81

-34.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.19 $6.19

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.83 $3.83

-22.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$4.11 $4.11

-37.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.03 $2.03

-6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.05 $2.05

1.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$18.96 $18.96

-43.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$13.25 $13.25

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.92 $2.92

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.87 $3.87

-18.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.99 $1.99

52.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.03 $5.03

-20.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.13 $2.13

-6.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$41.35 $41.35

-28.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.83 $0.83

49.40%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-17.35%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$28.4K $28.4K

-6.27%

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

$182 $182

$178 $178

2.25%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$59.7 $59.7

-8.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$54.0 $54.0

32.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$43.47 $43.47

15.94%

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$14.41 $14.41

26.86%

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

$1,760 $1,760

$3,203 $3,203

-45.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$23.3K $23.3K

4.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 $61.2

$42.97 $42.97

42.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.85 $46.85

$39.48 $39.48

18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$61.2 $61.2

61.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$74.0 $74.0

101.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$1,408 $1,408

102.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$993 $993

149.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,046 $4,046

$2,006 $2,006

101.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,173 $4,173

$1,842 $1,842

126.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,206 $7,206

$3,613 $3,613

99.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,539 $6,539

$3,636 $3,636

79.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,862 $7,862

$4,904 $4,904

60.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.44

0.78%

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

Last update for Aliso Viejo, CA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,855 in Aliso Viejo, CA and $1,408 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 60% 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 Aliso Viejo, CA vs $61 in Atlantic City, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $501, with Aliso Viejo, CA 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

Aliso Viejo, CA vs Atlantic City, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aliso Viejo, CA and Atlantic City, NJ differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($3,881 vs $2,379 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 60% more on average, 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: $2,855 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $1,408 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aliso Viejo, CA pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,881 per month in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $2,379 in Atlantic City, NJ – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,379 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,881 in Aliso Viejo, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Atlantic City, NJ but tight or insufficient in Aliso Viejo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Atlantic City, 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.

Safety-wise, Aliso Viejo, CA and Atlantic City, 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.

Expats usually find Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Aliso Viejo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.