Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Freehold, NJ: $2,449 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $29,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Freehold, NJ
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Freehold, NJ Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Freehold, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,449

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Freehold, 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 Freehold, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,449 in Freehold, NJ, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Freehold, NJ $2,449

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,828 in Freehold, NJ, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Freehold, NJ $3,828

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,207 in Freehold, NJ, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Freehold, NJ $5,207

New York, NY costs about 100% more than Freehold, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Freehold, NJ sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Freehold, NJ by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$19.71 $19.71

36.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$69.2 $69.2

68.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$11.34 $11.34

28.75%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$4.61 $4.61

41.87%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.31 $2.31

67.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.89 $1.89

56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.11 $6.11

32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$6.32 $6.32

55.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.05 $1.05

24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.48 $3.48

42.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$4.44 $4.44

73.42%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.16 $4.16

46.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$12.20 $12.20

60.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$11.85 $11.85

48.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$17.01 $17.01

19.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$4.94 $4.94

41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.65 $1.65

33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$4.28 $4.28

57.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.78 $4.78

48.95%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.76 $2.76

67.03%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.04 $3.04

57.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.13 $2.13

34.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.19 $2.19

22.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$9.95 $9.95

92.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$15.24 $15.24

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.91 $1.91

73.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.34 $3.34

25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.97 $1.97

53.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$62.9 $62.9

121.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.31 $3.31

-8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.70 $1.70

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$32.95 $32.95

25.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.00 $1.00

13.00%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$31.0K $31.0K

10.97%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$22.4K $22.4K

15.47%

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

$232 $232

$177 $177

31.52%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$57.4 $57.4

23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$69.7 $69.7

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$40.63 $40.63

183.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$14.15 $14.15

58.37%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$1,369 $1,369

163.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$20.3K $20.3K

238.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$53.3 $53.3

48.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.87 $40.87

25.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$87.7 $87.7

38.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$116 $116

21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,608 $1,608

183.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,155 $1,155

163.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,529 $2,529

285.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,362 $2,362

125.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,873 $2,873

534.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$2,337 $2,337

186.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$3,768 $3,768

35.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for Freehold, NJ: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Freehold, NJ

$1.2K 47.2% 62% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Freehold, NJ

$398 16.3% 29.8% $169

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Freehold, NJ

$307 12.5% 27.8% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Freehold, NJ

$304 12.4% 18.1% $67

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Freehold, NJ

$134 5.5% 24.1% $43

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Freehold, NJ

$83 3.4% 50.1% $83

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Freehold, NJ

$69 2.8% 57% $91

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,608 in Freehold, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $69 in Freehold, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $398 – making Freehold, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Freehold, NJ

🕒 Local time

08:36 8:36 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

11,394

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New York, NY Freehold, NJ 43 km

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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 Freehold, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $3,673 in Freehold, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Freehold, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,608 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,449 in Freehold, NJ. That makes Freehold, NJ about 50% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Freehold, NJ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Families tend to lean toward Freehold, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Freehold, NJ. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.