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: $4,557 in New York, NY versus $2,884 in Camden, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,115 in New York, NY versus $4,203 in Camden, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,674 in New York, NY versus $5,522 in Camden, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 58% more expensive than Camden, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 240% above, Camden, NJ 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.90 $29.90

$20.05 $20.05

49.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$89.6 $89.6

59.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$11.77 $11.77

7.65%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.77 $4.77

21.17%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$2.59 $2.59

31.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.93 $1.93

39.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$6.16 $6.16

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$6.88 $6.88

72.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.43 $1.43

12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.08 $4.08

25.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.17 $8.17

$7.97 $7.97

2.51%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$4.44 $4.44

61.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 $17.24

$14.98 $14.98

15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$16.82 $16.82

-3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$20.11 $20.11

1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$6.05 $6.05

21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.23 $2.23

8.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$5.88 $5.88

-2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.38 $5.38

21.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.77 $2.77

42.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.93 $2.93

5.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.56 $2.56

-3.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 $19.03

$13.12 $13.12

45.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$16.84 $16.84

19.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.94 $1.94

48.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.20 $4.20

-10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.36 $2.36

21.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$58.6 $58.6

121.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.97 $2.97

67.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.58 $1.58

41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.20 $42.20

$21.97 $21.97

92.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.93 $0.93

3.23%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$30.7K $30.7K

13.17%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

9.67%

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

$183 $183

$274 $274

-33.26%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$59.4 $59.4

0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$75.8 $75.8

-16.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$43.81 $43.81

220.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.9 $63.9

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$15.08 $15.08

32.49%

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

$3,153 $3,153

$2,122 $2,122

48.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.3K $56.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

143.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$56.7 $56.7

19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 $48.48

$42.20 $42.20

14.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$94.2 $94.2

22.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 $170

$141 $141

19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,113 $4,113

$1,605 $1,605

156.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$1,331 $1,331

99.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,230 $8,230

$2,636 $2,636

212.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,113 $5,113

$2,193 $2,193

133.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,699 $2,699

616.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,754 $8,754

$2,352 $2,352

272.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,049 $5,049

$4,807 $4,807

5.04%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Camden, NJ: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,113 in New York, NY and $1,605 in Camden, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 5% 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: $143 in New York, NY vs $90.0 in Camden, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $499 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 58% in total monthly costs ($4,557 vs $2,884 including rent). Camden, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

New York, NY pays 5% 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: $4,113 in New York, NY versus $1,605 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 122% 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 $2,122 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 58% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.