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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,415 in New York, NY versus $3,336 in Edison, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,980 in New York, NY versus $4,744 in Edison, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,544 in New York, NY versus $6,152 in Edison, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 32% more expensive than in Edison, NJ, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 230% above, Edison, NJ 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.48 $29.48

$19.67 $19.67

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$81.6 $81.6

75.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$12.28 $12.28

1.06%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.35 $5.35

13.64%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$2.53 $2.53

31.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.01 $2.01

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$7.89 $7.89

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$7.94 $7.94

51.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.19 $1.19

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.99 $3.99

27.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.32 $6.32

28.48%

Eggs

$6.87 $6.87

$4.16 $4.16

65.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 $17.61

$13.64 $13.64

29.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$12.57 $12.57

30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.81 $19.81

$14.83 $14.83

33.58%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$6.44 $6.44

18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.52 $2.52

0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.28 $5.28

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.13 $6.13

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.46 $4.46

-13.90%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.54 $4.54

-9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.58 $2.58

19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.37 $2.37

5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.83 $18.83

$10.98 $10.98

71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$14.77 $14.77

33.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.71 $1.71

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.65 $3.65

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$6.03 $6.03

-51.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

$204 $204

-34.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.91 $2.91

73.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.89 $0.89

147.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$41.43 $41.43

3.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.85 $0.85

14.12%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.7K $25.7K

36.04%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$26.3K $26.3K

7.58%

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

$182 $182

$177 $177

3.13%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$60.1 $60.1

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$68.0 $68.0

-6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$22.17 $22.17

543.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 $63.6

Cinema Ticket

$19.89 $19.89

$14.88 $14.88

33.67%

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

$3,129 $3,129

$1,841 $1,841

69.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$58.2K $58.2K

$14.6K $14.6K

298.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$61.4 $61.4

10.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$54.9 $54.9

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$112 $112

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$130 $130

34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,145 $4,145

$2,124 $2,124

95.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,786 $1,786

50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,255 $8,255

$3,143 $3,143

162.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,298 $5,298

$2,756 $2,756

92.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K $18.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,505 $6,505

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,520 $5,520

$6,887 $6,887

-19.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.55

-1.68%

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

Last update for New York, NY: July 13, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,145 in New York, NY and $2,124 in Edison, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edison, NJ pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $143 in New York, NY vs $82.0 in Edison, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $448 per month, with Edison, 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 Edison, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Edison, NJ differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($4,415 vs $3,336 including rent). Edison, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Edison, 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: $4,145 in New York, NY versus $2,124 in Edison, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Edison, NJ runs roughly 54% less than in New York, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,129 in New York, NY versus $1,841 in Edison, 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. Edison, 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 Edison, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.