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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,443 in New York, NY versus $2,852 in Camden, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,945 in New York, NY versus $4,182 in Camden, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,447 in New York, NY versus $5,512 in Camden, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 56% more expensive than in Camden, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 234% above, Camden, NJ 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 $30.45

$19.72 $19.72

54.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 $146

$91.6 $91.6

59.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.71 $12.71

$11.87 $11.87

7.08%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$4.78 $4.78

22.80%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.75 $2.75

17.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.93 $1.93

40.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$5.91 $5.91

38.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.89 $11.89

$7.12 $7.12

66.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.40 $1.40

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.01 $5.01

$4.28 $4.28

17.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.33 $8.33

$8.43 $8.43

-1.19%

Eggs

$7.02 $7.02

$4.34 $4.34

61.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$15.03 $15.03

15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 $16.72

$16.63 $16.63

0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.01 $20.01

$20.20 $20.20

-0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$5.97 $5.97

29.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.20 $2.20

12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.89 $5.89

-2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$5.46 $5.46

17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.68 $3.68

1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.77 $2.77

41.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.96 $2.96

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.46 $2.46

4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.84 $18.84

$12.79 $12.79

47.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$20.97 $20.97

-6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.95 $1.95

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.24 $4.24

-8.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.28 $2.28

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

$59.2 $59.2

124.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.02 $3.02

69.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.53 $1.53

43.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.93 $41.93

$21.84 $21.84

91.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.97 $0.97

1.03%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$30.4K $30.4K

16.52%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

7.15%

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

$184 $184

$266 $266

-30.84%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$59.7 $59.7

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$74.8 $74.8

-16.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$43.19 $43.19

223.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.0 $65.0

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$15.08 $15.08

34.81%

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

$3,153 $3,153

$2,060 $2,060

53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.8K $56.8K

$23.1K $23.1K

145.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 $68.0

$57.8 $57.8

17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.89 $47.89

$42.18 $42.18

13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$92.9 $92.9

23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$142 $142

22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,125 $4,125

$1,631 $1,631

152.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,685 $2,685

$1,373 $1,373

95.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,262 $8,262

$2,670 $2,670

209.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,258 $5,258

$2,235 $2,235

135.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.7K $18.7K

$2,612 $2,612

614.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,464 $6,464

$2,065 $2,065

213.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,584 $5,584

$4,677 $4,677

19.40%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Camden, NJ: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,125 in New York, NY and $1,631 in Camden, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 19% 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: $146 in New York, NY vs $92.0 in Camden, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $555 vs $509 per month, with Camden, NJ cheaper across the board.

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 Camden, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Camden, NJ differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($4,443 vs $2,852 including rent). Camden, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,125 in New York, NY versus $1,631 in Camden, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Camden, NJ runs roughly 124% less than in New York, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,153 in New York, NY versus $2,060 in Camden, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Camden, 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 Camden, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.