Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and San Diego, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Diego, CA: $4,012 a month against $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

208

Cost of Living Index in Bergen County, NJ
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Bergen County, NJ Living Index
196

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index

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Bergen County, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$4,323

/mo nomad

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen County, NJ and in San Diego, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bergen County, NJ and in San Diego, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ versus $4,012 in San Diego, CA.

Bergen County, NJ $4,323
San Diego, CA $4,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,463 in Bergen County, NJ versus $6,068 in San Diego, CA.

Bergen County, NJ $5,463
San Diego, CA $6,068

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,603 in Bergen County, NJ versus $8,123 in San Diego, CA.

Bergen County, NJ $6,603
San Diego, CA $8,123

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 8% more expensive than in San Diego, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 219% above, San Diego, CA 196% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.48 $22.48

$24.72 $24.72

-9.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 $85.3

$101 $101

-15.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$14.63 $14.63

-12.30%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.89 $5.89

-12.90%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$3.11 $3.11

-1.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.76 $2.76

-19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.10 $8.10

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$10.07 $10.07

-19.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.32 $1.32

9.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.63 $5.63

-22.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$4.78 $4.78

58.79%

Eggs

$5.07 $5.07

$6.71 $6.71

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$17.10 $17.10

-25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$13.85 $13.85

-14.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.75 $17.75

$21.43 $21.43

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.62 $4.62

13.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.87 $1.87

-17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.69 $4.69

8.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.90 $4.90

3.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.34 $3.34

-18.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.89 $2.89

5.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.09 $2.09

13.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.04 $2.04

17.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$11.76 $11.76

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.56 $24.56

$16.25 $16.25

51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.32 $2.32

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.17 $3.17

40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.47 $2.47

68.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$169 $169

$73.4 $73.4

130.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.07 $3.07

-14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.05 $2.05

-25.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.11 $24.11

$27.86 $27.86

-13.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.60 $1.60

-33.75%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

-5.47%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.14%

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

$211 $211

$252 $252

-16.53%

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

$73.5 $73.5

$70.6 $70.6

4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$80.8 $80.8

-19.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.2 $98.2

$69.0 $69.0

42.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.53 $49.53

$24.09 $24.09

105.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$20.16 $20.16

-24.31%

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

$2,285 $2,285

$1,950 $1,950

17.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$36.7K $36.7K

-34.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 $48.52

$63.6 $63.6

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.34 $46.34

$55.9 $55.9

-17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 $79.9

$113 $113

-29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$144 $144

6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,786 $2,786

$3,207 $3,207

-13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,685 $2,685

$2,360 $2,360

13.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,541 $4,541

$5,381 $5,381

-15.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 $2,963

$4,426 $4,426

-33.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,928 $3,928

$8,234 $8,234

-52.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,697 $3,697

$6,506 $6,506

-43.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,356 $5,356

$5,039 $5,039

6.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.75

-1.93%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: October 20, 2026

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bergen County, NJ

$2.7K 62.1%

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 58.8% 12.1% $324

Groceries & Markets

Bergen County, NJ

$460 10.6%

San Diego, CA

$477 11.9% 3.7% $17

Eating Out

Bergen County, NJ

$358 8.3%

San Diego, CA

$396 9.9% 10.7% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bergen County, NJ

$349 8.1%

San Diego, CA

$404 10.1% 15.7% $55

Getting Around

Bergen County, NJ

$196 4.5%

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4% 50.7% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Bergen County, NJ

$147 3.4%

San Diego, CA

$169 4.2% 14.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Bergen County, NJ

$129 3%

San Diego, CA

$109 2.7% 15.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ and $3,207 in San Diego, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 6% 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: $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $101 in San Diego, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $460 vs $477 per month, with Bergen County, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

09:31 9:31 AM

3 h behind Bergen County, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,668

1,386,932

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bergen County, NJ San Diego, CA 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Bergen County, NJ
San Diego, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Diego, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen County, NJ and San Diego, CA differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($4,323 vs $4,012 including rent). San Diego, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,207 in San Diego, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Diego, CA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,323 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $4,012 in San Diego, CA – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $5,000. San Diego, 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.

Safety-wise, Bergen County, NJ and San Diego, CA 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 San Diego, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.