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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,016 in New York, NY versus $4,513 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,593 in New York, NY versus $5,805 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 38% more expensive than Elizabeth, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 231% above, Elizabeth, NJ 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.91 $29.91

$20.06 $20.06

49.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 $144

$99.0 $99.0

45.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.95 $11.95

3.10%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$5.69 $5.69

5.98%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.30 $2.30

47.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.55 $1.55

65.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$6.84 $6.84

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$6.90 $6.90

73.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.30 $1.30

18.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.14 $4.14

24.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$5.70 $5.70

47.89%

Eggs

$6.97 $6.97

$5.30 $5.30

31.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$13.74 $13.74

25.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$11.39 $11.39

42.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$17.55 $17.55

13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$5.76 $5.76

29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.57 $2.57

-5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$4.22 $4.22

39.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$4.29 $4.29

47.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.02 $3.02

23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.70 $2.70

47.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.83 $2.83

12.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.43 $2.43

4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 $19.09

$14.73 $14.73

29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 $20.24

$15.11 $15.11

33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.61 $2.61

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.51 $3.51

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.89 $2.89

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

$76.1 $76.1

71.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.02 $3.02

69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.23 $2.23

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 $42.64

$42.67 $42.67

-0.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$23.5K $23.5K

46.54%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$24.5K $24.5K

15.13%

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

$182 $182

$215 $215

-15.42%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$52.5 $52.5

14.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$58.4 $58.4

6.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$25.06 $25.06

458.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.4 $64.4

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$20.19 $20.19

0.69%

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

$3,222 $3,222

$1,722 $1,722

87.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.2K $56.2K

$14.1K $14.1K

298.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$50.7 $50.7

29.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$59.8 $59.8

-21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$87.7 $87.7

26.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$126 $126

37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,208 $4,208

$2,184 $2,184

92.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,769 $1,769

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,415 $8,415

$2,662 $2,662

216.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,170 $5,170

$2,476 $2,476

108.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K $20.1K

$1,289 $1,289

1458.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,742 $8,742

$1,147 $1,147

662.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,144 $5,144

$5,337 $5,337

-3.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.51

-1.08%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 20, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,208 in New York, NY and $2,184 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $144 in New York, NY vs $99 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $437 per month, with Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($4,438 vs $3,222 including rent). Elizabeth, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Elizabeth, NJ earns 4% less. 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: $4,208 in New York, NY versus $2,184 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,222 in New York, NY versus $1,722 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.