Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Bergen County, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Boulder, CO: $3,303 a month against $4,277 in Bergen County, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Boulder, CO, United States
Bergen County, NJ, United States
Boulder, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,303
/mo nomad
Bergen County, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$4,277
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boulder, CO and in Bergen County, NJ

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,303 in Boulder, CO versus $4,277 in Bergen County, NJ.

  • Boulder, CO $3,303
  • Bergen County, NJ $4,277

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,905 in Boulder, CO versus $5,463 in Bergen County, NJ.

  • Boulder, CO $4,905
  • Bergen County, NJ $5,463

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,508 in Boulder, CO versus $6,649 in Bergen County, NJ.

  • Boulder, CO $6,508
  • Bergen County, NJ $6,649

Living in Boulder, CO costs roughly 23% less than in Bergen County, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boulder, CO 144% above, Bergen County, NJ 216% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.17 $20.17
$23.75 $23.75
-15.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.1 $79.1
$89.0 $89.0
-11.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.98 $14.98
$12.99 $12.99
15.32%
Cappuccino
$5.74 $5.74
$5.17 $5.17
11.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 $3.53
$2.89 $2.89
22.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 $2.93
$2.27 $2.27
29.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$7.80 $7.80
-11.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 $7.91
$7.83 $7.83
1.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.50 $1.50
-18.00%
White Bread (500g)
$5.50 $5.50
$4.27 $4.27
28.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.70 $6.70
$7.38 $7.38
-9.21%
Eggs
$5.48 $5.48
$5.22 $5.22
4.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 $11.77
$12.38 $12.38
-4.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.23 $11.23
$12.51 $12.51
-10.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.36 $17.36
$17.92 $17.92
-3.13%
Apples (1kg)
$5.81 $5.81
$5.45 $5.45
6.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.52 $1.52
-5.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.08 $6.08
$5.54 $5.54
9.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$5.74 $5.74
5.57%
Potato (1kg)
$4.08 $4.08
$2.94 $2.94
38.78%
Onion (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$3.24 $3.24
14.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.45 $2.45
42.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.55 $2.55
8.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.26 $10.26
$12.00 $12.00
-14.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.09 $17.09
$24.43 $24.43
-30.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.70 $1.70
12.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$4.32 $4.32
14.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.78 $2.78
$4.17 $4.17
-33.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.9 $86.9
$168 $168
-48.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.64 $2.64
-6.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.83 $1.83
-22.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.02 $24.02
$24.38 $24.38
-1.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.15 $1.15
-6.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K $28.5K
$27.8K $27.8K
2.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$25.7K $25.7K
1.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$210 $210
9.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.5 $71.5
$74.7 $74.7
-4.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.4 $74.4
$64.0 $64.0
16.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.5 $75.5
$98.1 $98.1
-23.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.92 $19.92
$50.5 $50.5
-60.55%
Cinema Ticket
$18.82 $18.82
$14.86 $14.86
26.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,927 $1,927
$2,441 $2,441
-21.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.4K $32.4K
$33.8K $33.8K
-4.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.0 $68.0
$49.30 $49.30
37.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.54 $49.54
$43.32 $43.32
14.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 $93.1
$81.5 $81.5
14.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 $141
$148 $148
-4.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,181 $2,181
$2,783 $2,783
-21.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,726 $1,726
$2,622 $2,622
-34.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,833 $3,833
$4,674 $4,674
-17.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,071 $3,071
$2,947 $2,947
4.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,157 $6,157
$4,024 $4,024
53.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,617 $4,617
$3,831 $3,831
20.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Boulder, CO
Bergen County, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,513 $5,513
$5,428 $5,428
1.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
6.82
-2.20%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 31, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Boulder, CO
$1.7K
Bergen County, NJ
$2.6K 51.9% $896
Groceries & Markets
Boulder, CO
$472
Bergen County, NJ
$470 0.4% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boulder, CO
$375
Bergen County, NJ
$349 7% $26
Eating Out
Boulder, CO
$351
Bergen County, NJ
$366 4.3% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Boulder, CO
$158
Bergen County, NJ
$145 8.5% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Boulder, CO
$113
Bergen County, NJ
$128 12.9% $15
Getting Around
Boulder, CO
$108
Bergen County, NJ
$196 82.7% $89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Boulder, CO and $2,783 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79 in Boulder, CO vs $89 in Bergen County, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $472 vs $470, with Bergen County, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Boulder, CO
🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ
🕒 Local time
03:55 3:55 AM
05:55 5:55 AM
2 h ahead of Boulder, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
106,803
11,668
Exchange rates and currency converter

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United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Boulder, CO Bergen County, NJ 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Boulder, CO
  • Bergen County, NJ

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
Boulder, CO vs Bergen County, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Boulder, CO and in Bergen County, NJ?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,303 in Boulder, CO and $4,277 in Bergen County, NJ, so Boulder, CO is about 23% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Boulder, CO compared to Bergen County, NJ?
You’d need roughly $4,955 in Boulder, CO and $6,415 in Bergen County, NJ 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Boulder, CO and in Bergen County, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,181 in Boulder, CO versus $2,783 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Boulder, CO and in Bergen County, NJ?
A monthly transit pass in Boulder, CO runs roughly 48% less than in Bergen County, NJ. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more expensive overall: Boulder, CO or Bergen County, NJ?
All in, you’ll spend $3,303 per month in Boulder, CO versus $4,277 in Bergen County, NJ – Boulder, CO is about 23% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Boulder, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Boulder, CO and Bergen County, NJ?
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.

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