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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,503 in New York, NY versus $2,857 in Barnegat, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,077 in New York, NY versus $4,326 in Barnegat, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,650 in New York, NY versus $5,795 in Barnegat, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 58% more expensive than Barnegat, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 236% above, Barnegat, NJ 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 $30.28

$19.70 $19.70

53.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$143 $143

-0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 $12.65

$12.38 $12.38

2.18%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.77 $5.77

0.69%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$3.25 $3.25

0.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.67 $2.67

-3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.16 $8.16

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.82 $11.82

$11.98 $11.98

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.04 $1.04

47.12%

White Bread (500g)

$5.27 $5.27

$4.98 $4.98

5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$8.40 $8.40

-0.71%

Eggs

$7.25 $7.25

$7.05 $7.05

2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$17.54 $17.54

-1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$16.60 $16.60

-2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 $19.82

$20.52 $20.52

-3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$7.49 $7.49

1.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.52 $2.52

-3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.93 $5.93

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$3.93 $3.93

62.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.88 $3.88

-0.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.10 $4.10

-0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.07 $3.07

1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.26 $19.26

$18.68 $18.68

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.96 $19.96

$15.28 $15.28

30.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.91 $2.91

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.89 $3.89

-4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.05 $2.05

38.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.02 $3.02

69.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.40 $1.40

50.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.31 $42.31

$23.57 $23.57

79.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.72 $0.72

34.72%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-2.65%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$28.2K $28.2K

-1.40%

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

$181 $181

$182 $182

-0.35%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$59.7 $59.7

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$61.7 $61.7

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$42.59 $42.59

236.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.3 $65.3

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$19.81 $19.81

0.86%

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

$3,216 $3,216

$3,209 $3,209

0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.2K $57.2K

$23.9K $23.9K

139.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$67.0 $67.0

0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 $47.68

$47.46 $47.46

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$114 $114

-2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 $4,092

$1,632 $1,632

150.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 $2,694

$1,380 $1,380

95.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,445 $8,445

$2,628 $2,628

221.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$2,245 $2,245

128.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,700 $2,700

573.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,299 $6,299

$2,180 $2,180

188.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,540 $5,540

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barnegat, NJ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,092 in New York, NY and $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $142 in New York, NY vs $143 in Barnegat, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $554 vs $529, with Barnegat, 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 York, NY vs Barnegat, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Barnegat, NJ differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($4,503 vs $2,857 including rent). Barnegat, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $6,754 in New York, NY and $4,286 in Barnegat, 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,092 in New York, NY versus $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,216 in New York, NY versus $3,209 in Barnegat, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barnegat, NJ – a meal for two runs $143 versus $142 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barnegat, 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.

Expats usually find Barnegat, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.