Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Bergen County, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Bergen County, NJ: $4,323 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
208

Cost of Living Index in Bergen County, NJ
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Bergen County, NJ Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Bergen County, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$4,323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY versus $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ.

New York, NY $4,938
Bergen County, NJ $4,323

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,273 in New York, NY versus $5,463 in Bergen County, NJ.

New York, NY $7,273
Bergen County, NJ $5,463

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,608 in New York, NY versus $6,603 in Bergen County, NJ.

New York, NY $9,608
Bergen County, NJ $6,603

Living in New York, NY is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bergen County, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 264% above, Bergen County, NJ 219% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$22.48 $22.48

11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$85.3 $85.3

41.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$12.83 $12.83

7.09%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.13 $5.13

28.65%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$3.07 $3.07

24.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.23 $2.23

28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.19 $8.19

-2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$8.09 $8.09

24.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.45 $1.45

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.37 $4.37

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$7.59 $7.59

1.32%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$5.07 $5.07

15.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$12.66 $12.66

52.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$11.91 $11.91

49.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$17.75 $17.75

7.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.25 $5.25

27.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.54 $1.54

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$5.10 $5.10

25.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$5.05 $5.05

33.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.73 $2.73

43.96%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.05 $3.05

48.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.38 $2.38

17.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.39 $2.39

5.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$11.90 $11.90

52.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$24.56 $24.56

-17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.72 $1.72

89.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.46 $4.46

-15.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.17 $4.17

-29.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

$169 $169

-15.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.64 $2.64

15.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.53 $1.53

41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$24.11 $24.11

71.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.06 $1.06

5.66%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$28.0K $28.0K

18.22%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

-0.64%

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

$219 $219

$211 $211

4.16%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$73.5 $73.5

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$64.7 $64.7

8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$98.2 $98.2

17.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

$49.53 $49.53

36.52%

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$15.26 $15.26

40.04%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$2,285 $2,285

50.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

155.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$48.52 $48.52

54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$46.34 $46.34

12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$79.9 $79.9

46.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$153 $153

-11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$2,786 $2,786

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$2,685 $2,685

16.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$4,541 $4,541

100.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$2,963 $2,963

81.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$3,928 $3,928

390.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$3,697 $3,697

87.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$5,356 $5,356

-2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.62

3.47%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Bergen County, NJ

$2.7K 62.1% 13.9% $432

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Bergen County, NJ

$460 10.6% 16.7% $92

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Bergen County, NJ

$358 8.3% 12% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Bergen County, NJ

$349 8.1% 4.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Bergen County, NJ

$147 3.4% 13.5% $23

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Bergen County, NJ

$196 4.5% 16.4% $28

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Bergen County, NJ

$129 3% 18.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,347 in New York, NY and $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $120 in New York, NY vs $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $460 per month, with Bergen County, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ

🕒 Local time

17:02 5:02 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

11,668

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

New York, NY and Bergen County, NJ differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($4,938 vs $4,323 including rent). Bergen County, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Bergen County, NJ. 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: $4,347 in New York, NY versus $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bergen County, NJ – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $120 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,938 per month in New York, NY versus $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $5,000. Bergen County, 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 Bergen County, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.