Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and York, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and York, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,382 in York, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,152 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,556 in York, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,139 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $4,730 in York, PA.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 33% more expensive than York, PA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 136% above, York, PA 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$20.16 $20.16

-2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$65.3 $65.3

54.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$10.97 $10.97

16.13%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$5.40 $5.40

-1.67%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.23 $1.23

95.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.97 $0.97

31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 $7.07

$6.31 $6.31

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$7.72 $7.72

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.13 $1.13

18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.61 $3.61

-9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$7.02 $7.02

-38.89%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$6.53 $6.53

-34.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.43 $21.43

$18.73 $18.73

14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$20.35 $20.35

-42.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$23.71 $23.71

-27.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$7.84 $7.84

-37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.84 $2.84

-44.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$7.98 $7.98

-49.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$11.04 $11.04

-63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.65 $4.65

-38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.68 $3.68

3.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.87 $2.87

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.24 $3.24

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$8.05 $8.05

49.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$15.12 $15.12

-19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.74 $1.74

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.70 $3.70

64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.95 $1.95

93.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.53 $4.53

-32.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.54 $1.54

34.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.94 $23.94

$29.05 $29.05

-17.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.84 $0.84

10.71%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

10.94%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$24.5K $24.5K

2.94%

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

$127 $127

$214 $214

-40.86%

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

$45.18 $45.18

$43.29 $43.29

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$59.4 $59.4

7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$26.63 $26.63

368.27%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$13.23 $13.23

14.51%

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

$2,018 $2,018

$1,107 $1,107

82.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.2K $23.2K

3.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 $73.6

$47.06 $47.06

56.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$47.70 $47.70

28.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$44.25 $44.25

58.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$1,004 $1,004

124.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 $1,855

$989 $989

87.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,689 $4,689

$1,817 $1,817

158.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,838 $3,838

$1,733 $1,733

121.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,388 $4,388

$1,819 $1,819

141.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,733 $3,733

$1,820 $1,820

105.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,761 $6,761

$4,066 $4,066

66.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.53

-2.76%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for York, PA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ and $1,004 in York, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 66% 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: $101 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $65 in York, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $429 vs $592, with Fort Lee, NJ 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

Fort Lee, NJ vs York, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

York, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making York, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 66% more on average, 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: $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,004 in York, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,018 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,107 in York, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in York, PA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $101 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,382 in York, PA versus $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in York, PA but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes York, PA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Fort Lee, NJ and York, PA 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 York, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.