Cost of Living Comparison Between New City, NY and Hackensack, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between New City, NY and Hackensack, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,444 in New City, NY versus $2,958 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,206 in New City, NY versus $4,654 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,967 in New City, NY versus $6,351 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in New City, NY is roughly 50% more expensive than Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New City, NY 232% above, Hackensack, NJ 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.77 $13.77

$19.74 $19.74

-30.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$101 $101

-26.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 $10.93

$14.25 $14.25

-23.30%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.32 $5.32

-3.57%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.37 $2.37

0.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.93 $1.93

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$7.15 $7.15

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.80 $8.80

$8.94 $8.94

-1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.27 $1.27

-25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.81 $3.81

1.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.27 $5.27

-2.47%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.79 $4.79

2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.47 $21.47

$14.09 $14.09

52.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$10.29 $10.29

13.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$17.43 $17.43

-0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$5.02 $5.02

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.77 $1.77

-25.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.93 $3.93

1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.12 $4.12

3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.76 $2.76

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.64 $2.64

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.47 $2.47

-6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.67 $2.67

-57.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.83 $11.83

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$15.05 $15.05

-33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.29 $4.29

41.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.53 $3.53

-23.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$60.7 $60.7

107.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.07 $3.07

-2.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.10 $2.10

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.78 $23.78

$24.46 $24.46

-2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.91 $0.91

-3.30%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$23.4K $23.4K

38.11%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

-1.93%

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

$126 $126

$212 $212

-40.60%

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

$44.54 $44.54

$53.9 $53.9

-17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$58.2 $58.2

9.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.35 $43.35

$45.75 $45.75

-5.25%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 $16.89

$20.34 $20.34

-16.96%

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

$1,970 $1,970

$1,393 $1,393

41.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$16.1K $16.1K

44.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$49.02 $49.02

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 $62.1

$63.1 $63.1

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 $70.9

$88.2 $88.2

-19.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$98.6 $98.6

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,162 $3,162

$1,772 $1,772

78.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,148 $3,148

$1,634 $1,634

92.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,511 $5,511

$3,390 $3,390

62.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,271 $3,271

56.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,570 $3,570

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 $3,240

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,006 $8,006

$6,265 $6,265

27.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

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

Last update for New City, NY: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,162 in New City, NY and $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New City, NY pays 28% 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: $74.0 in New City, NY vs $101 in Hackensack, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $412, with Hackensack, 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

New City, NY vs Hackensack, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hackensack, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in New City, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hackensack, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

New City, NY pays 28% 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: $3,162 in New City, NY versus $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,970 in New City, NY versus $1,393 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in New City, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Hackensack, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hackensack, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,958 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hackensack, NJ hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New City, NY and Hackensack, NJ 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 Hackensack, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in New City, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.