Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Hayward, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Elizabeth, NJ: $3,186 a month against $3,419 in Hayward, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hayward, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Hayward, CA
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Hayward, CA Living Index

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Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Hayward, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,419

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elizabeth, NJ and in Hayward, CA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,419 in Hayward, CA.

Elizabeth, NJ $3,186
Hayward, CA $3,419

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $4,664 in Hayward, CA.

Elizabeth, NJ $4,453
Hayward, CA $4,664

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $5,908 in Hayward, CA.

Elizabeth, NJ $5,720
Hayward, CA $5,908

Living in Elizabeth, NJ costs roughly 7% less than in Hayward, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elizabeth, NJ 135% above, Hayward, CA 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$19.98 $19.98

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$75.6 $75.6

6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$10.48 $10.48

13.45%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$4.89 $4.89

11.45%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$2.99 $2.99

-18.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.29 $2.29

-34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 $7.78

$5.88 $5.88

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$7.34 $7.34

-2.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.26 $1.26

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.83 $1.83

145.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.82 $5.82

2.41%

Eggs

$6.52 $6.52

$5.92 $5.92

10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$26.81 $26.81

-42.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$7.35 $7.35

60.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$22.45 $22.45

-12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$6.99 $6.99

-14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.51 $2.51

41.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$6.13 $6.13

-31.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$10.20 $10.20

-46.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.58 $3.58

-16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.85 $4.85

-39.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.52 $2.52

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.22 $3.22

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.62 $14.62

$11.87 $11.87

23.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$12.90 $12.90

18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.69 $1.69

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.80 $2.80

21.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.25 $2.25

28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.47 $3.47

-15.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.88 $1.88

12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.39 $42.39

$40.22 $40.22

5.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.42 $1.42

-23.24%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.0K $28.0K

-0.32%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

3.13%

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

$247 $247

$183 $183

35.48%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$42.35 $42.35

20.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 $50.1

$77.2 $77.2

-35.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 $24.78

$55.9 $55.9

-55.69%

Cinema Ticket

$20.03 $20.03

$14.92 $14.92

34.25%

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

$2,012 $2,012

$1,236 $1,236

62.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$34.7K $34.7K

-53.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 $49.63

$50.6 $50.6

-1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.6 $77.6

$71.0 $71.0

9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$73.8 $73.8

19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$119 $119

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$1,870 $1,870

16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 $1,718

$2,056 $2,056

-16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$3,440 $3,440

-22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 $2,492

$2,853 $2,853

-12.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,297 $1,297

$7,446 $7,446

-82.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 $1,143

$6,826 $6,826

-83.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,997 $3,997

$4,559 $4,559

-12.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.15

8.46%

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

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Hayward, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9%

Hayward, CA

$2.1K 60.1% 19.7% $339

Groceries & Markets

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9%

Hayward, CA

$497 14.5% 4.6% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9%

Hayward, CA

$302 8.8% 13.3% $46

Eating Out

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3%

Hayward, CA

$315 9.2% 3.8% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8%

Hayward, CA

$141 4.1% 6.8% $10

Getting Around

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2%

Hayward, CA

$22 * 0.6% 78.3% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2%

Hayward, CA

$86 2.5% 32.2% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ and $1,870 in Hayward, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hayward, CA pays 14% 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: $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $76.0 in Hayward, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $475 vs $497, with Elizabeth, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 Hayward, CA

🕒 Local time

22:19 10:19 PM

19:19 7:19 PM

3 h behind Elizabeth, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,179

159,203

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Elizabeth, NJ Hayward, CA 4,090 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Elizabeth, NJ
Hayward, 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

Elizabeth, NJ vs Hayward, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elizabeth, NJ and Hayward, CA differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($3,186 vs $3,419 including rent). Elizabeth, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Hayward, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,870 in Hayward, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Hayward, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,186 per month in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,419 in Hayward, CA – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Elizabeth, NJ 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, Elizabeth, NJ and Hayward, 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 Elizabeth, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Hayward, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.