Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Romford Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Romford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,757 in Romford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,407 in Bergen County, NJ versus $4,239 in Romford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,555 in Bergen County, NJ versus $5,721 in Romford.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 54% more expensive than in Romford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 210% above, Romford 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$24.58 £18.19

-9.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 $83.8

$108 £79.6

-22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 $12.57

$10.80 £7.99

16.39%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$4.80 £3.55

10.42%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.74 £2.02

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.97 £1.46

13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$8.21 £6.08

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.34 £5.43

9.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.94 £1.44

-27.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.79 £1.33

152.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$2.69 £1.99

222.68%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$5.03 £3.72

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$10.16 £7.52

23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$9.48 £7.01

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$15.94 £11.79

9.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.03 £2.24

77.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.45 £1.07

16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.45 £2.55

45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.50 £2.59

45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.66 £1.23

67.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.89 £1.40

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.28 £0.95

85.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.86 £1.37

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 $13.15

$24.32 £17.99

-45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.64 $23.64

$13.46 £9.96

75.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.32 £2.45

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.25 £3.14

4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$4.86 £3.59

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$168 $168

$97.1 £71.8

72.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$5.68 £4.20

-52.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.81 £2.08

-45.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$24.77 £18.32

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.13 £1.58

-50.23%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$39.7K £29.4K

-7.59%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$40.9K £30.3K

-38.92%

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

$207 $207

$372 £275

-44.37%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$18.84 £13.94

309.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$45.78 £33.87

47.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$51.2 £37.88

96.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.77 $49.77

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$17.47 £12.92

-14.83%

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

$2,257 $2,257

$2,653 £1,962

-14.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$30.5K £22.6K

-22.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 $49.41

$93.4 £69.1

-47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$47.71 £35.30

-2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$93.9 £69.5

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$132 £97.9

13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$1,912 £1,415

42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,214 £898

120.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$3,426 £2,535

37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,956 $2,956

$2,313 £1,711

27.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 $3,914

$5,231 £3,870

-25.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 $3,785

$3,479 £2,574

8.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,352 $5,352

$2,847 £2,106

87.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

23.20%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Romford: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ and $1,912 in Romford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 88% 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: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $108 in Romford. Groceries flip the comparison at $464 vs $337, with Romford 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

Bergen County, NJ vs Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen County, NJ and Romford differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($4,259 vs $2,757 including rent). Romford is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Bergen County, NJ, 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: $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,912 in Romford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Romford – a meal for two runs $108 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,259 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,757 in Romford – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

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 Romford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.