Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montclair, NJ and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Montclair, NJ: $2,899 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Montclair, NJ
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Montclair, NJ Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Montclair, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,899

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montclair, NJ and in New York, NY

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

A single person spends $2,899 per month in Montclair, NJ vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Montclair, NJ $2,899
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,264 per month in Montclair, NJ vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Montclair, NJ $4,264
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,629 per month in Montclair, NJ vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Montclair, NJ $5,629
New York, NY $9,509

Montclair, NJ is about 41% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Montclair, NJ and New York, NY sit above the global median – Montclair, NJ by 113%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$28.55 $28.55

-29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$118 $118

-31.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.14 $13.14

$15.04 $15.04

-12.63%

Cappuccino

$6.35 $6.35

$6.53 $6.53

-2.76%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$3.96 $3.96

-38.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.01 $3.01

-51.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.16 $8.16

-0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$9.84 $9.84

-27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.37 $1.37

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.97 $4.97

-9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$7.81 $7.81

-22.54%

Eggs

$6.13 $6.13

$5.97 $5.97

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$18.91 $18.91

-27.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$18.04 $18.04

-43.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 $19.41

$19.05 $19.05

1.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.76 $6.76

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.27 $2.27

-0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$6.83 $6.83

-38.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$7.09 $7.09

-23.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.22 $4.22

-25.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$4.65 $4.65

-35.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.87 $2.87

1.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.60 $2.60

4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 $14.55

$18.77 $18.77

-22.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$20.13 $20.13

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.45 $3.45

-46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.02 $4.02

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.08 $3.08

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.12 $2.12

3.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.69 $42.69

$41.96 $41.96

1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.17 $1.17

-3.42%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$34.5K $34.5K

-19.99%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.60%

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

$170 $170

$219 $219

-22.34%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$74.2 $74.2

-30.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$70.2 $70.2

-28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.8 $80.8

$112 $112

-27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$20.23 $20.23

$22.14 $22.14

-8.63%

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

$1,998 $1,998

$3,558 $3,558

-43.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$62.2K $62.2K

-73.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 $70.1

$75.6 $75.6

-7.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$51.2 $51.2

-0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$123 $123

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$140 $140

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$4,499 $4,499

-49.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 $1,540

$3,078 $3,078

-49.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,631 $3,631

$9,447 $9,447

-61.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,557 $2,557

$5,190 $5,190

-50.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.86

-0.87%

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

Last update for Montclair, NJ: October 26, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montclair, NJ

$1.5K 53.1%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 99.9% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Montclair, NJ

$451 15.6%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 24.9% $112

Eating Out

Montclair, NJ

$347 12%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 27% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montclair, NJ

$273 9.4%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 33.5% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Montclair, NJ

$154 5.3%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 14% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Montclair, NJ

$121 4.2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 28.9% $35

Getting Around

Montclair, NJ

$14 * 0.5%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 1074% $150

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,261 in Montclair, NJ versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Montclair, NJ versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $563 – making Montclair, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Montclair, NJ

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

16:38 4:38 PM

Same time as Montclair, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,669

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Montclair, NJ vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,348 per month in Montclair, NJ and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montclair, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,261 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,899 in Montclair, NJ and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Montclair, NJ about 41% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,998 per month in Montclair, NJ and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,899 in Montclair, NJ and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montclair, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.