Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Sacramento, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Sacramento, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,097 in Sacramento, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,407 in Bergen County, NJ versus $4,548 in Sacramento, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,555 in Bergen County, NJ versus $5,999 in Sacramento, CA.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 38% more expensive than in Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 210% above, Sacramento, CA 125% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$21.36 $21.36

3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 $83.8

$96.1 $96.1

-12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 $12.57

$12.64 $12.64

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.31 $5.31

-0.19%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.85 $2.85

5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.84 $2.84

-21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$7.98 $7.98

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.14 $8.14

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.27 $1.27

11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.01 $4.01

12.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$4.59 $4.59

89.11%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$5.58 $5.58

-5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$15.43 $15.43

-18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$17.61 $17.61

-33.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$18.03 $18.03

-3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.02 $5.02

6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.04 $2.04

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.31 $4.31

16.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.08 $6.08

-16.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.72 $3.72

-25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.29 $3.29

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.44 $2.44

-2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.70 $2.70

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 $13.15

$11.74 $11.74

12.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.64 $23.64

$15.10 $15.10

56.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.70 $2.70

-36.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.67 $3.67

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.53 $2.53

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$168 $168

$98.1 $98.1

70.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.95 $3.95

-32.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.86 $1.86

-17.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$24.89 $24.89

-5.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.55 $1.55

-31.61%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.9K $36.9K

-0.59%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

-9.28%

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

$207 $207

$278 $278

-25.60%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$58.8 $58.8

31.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$67.7 $67.7

-0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$48.82 $48.82

105.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.77 $49.77

$41.26 $41.26

20.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$17.23 $17.23

-13.64%

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

$2,257 $2,257

$1,581 $1,581

42.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$19.5K $19.5K

21.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 $49.41

$61.8 $61.8

-20.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$47.09 $47.09

-1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$94.5 $94.5

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$128 $128

16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$2,110 $2,110

29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,570 $1,570

70.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$3,322 $3,322

41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,956 $2,956

$2,525 $2,525

17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 $3,914

$4,773 $4,773

-18.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 $3,785

$3,420 $3,420

10.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,352 $5,352

$4,571 $4,571

17.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

6.19

-0.48%

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 Sacramento, CA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ and $2,110 in Sacramento, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ 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: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $96.0 in Sacramento, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 vs $478 per month, with Bergen County, NJ cheaper across the board.

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 Sacramento, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen County, NJ and Sacramento, CA differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($4,259 vs $3,097 including rent). Sacramento, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $2,110 in Sacramento, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sacramento, CA – a meal for two runs $96.0 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 $3,097 in Sacramento, CA – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Sacramento, CA 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 Sacramento, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.