Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Toms River, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Toms River, NJ: $2,884 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
Toms River, NJ, United States
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,941
/mo nomad
Toms River, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,884
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,884 in Toms River, NJ, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,941
  • Toms River, NJ $2,884

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $4,311 in Toms River, NJ, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,225
  • Toms River, NJ $4,311

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,738 in Toms River, NJ, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,509
  • Toms River, NJ $5,738

New York, NY costs about 71% more than Toms River, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both New York, NY and Toms River, NJ sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Toms River, NJ by 112%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.55 $28.55
$19.87 $19.87
43.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 $118
$74.2 $74.2
59.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.04 $15.04
$12.05 $12.05
24.81%
Cappuccino
$6.53 $6.53
$5.53 $5.53
18.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.57 $2.57
54.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$1.86 $1.86
61.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.16 $8.16
$5.03 $5.03
62.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.84 $9.84
$6.89 $6.89
42.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.41 $1.41
-2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$4.61 $4.61
7.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.81 $7.81
$2.42 $2.42
222.73%
Eggs
$5.97 $5.97
$4.61 $4.61
29.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.91 $18.91
$16.29 $16.29
16.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.04 $18.04
$16.95 $16.95
6.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.05 $19.05
$16.81 $16.81
13.33%
Apples (1kg)
$6.76 $6.76
$5.98 $5.98
13.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.30 $1.30
74.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.83 $6.83
$5.15 $5.15
32.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.09 $7.09
$5.92 $5.92
19.76%
Potato (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.58 $1.58
167.09%
Onion (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$2.74 $2.74
69.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.53 $2.53
13.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.94 $1.94
34.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.77 $18.77
$9.84 $9.84
90.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.13 $20.13
$10.09 $10.09
99.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.45 $3.45
$2.80 $2.80
23.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 $4.02
$3.42 $3.42
17.54%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 $2.91
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.99 $2.99
3.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 $2.12
$2.13 $2.13
-0.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.96 $41.96
$41.41 $41.41
1.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.92 $0.92
27.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$30.8K $30.8K
12.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$26.2K $26.2K
-1.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$243 $243
-9.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.2 $74.2
$37.24 $37.24
99.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 $70.2
$62.0 $62.0
13.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$112 $112
$30.15 $30.15
271.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$74.9 $74.9
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$22.14 $22.14
$17.15 $17.15
29.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,558 $3,558
$3,103 $3,103
14.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$62.2K $62.2K
$34.4K $34.4K
80.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.6 $75.6
$69.8 $69.8
8.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 $51.2
$75.8 $75.8
-32.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 $123
$120 $120
2.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$121 $121
15.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,499 $4,499
$1,617 $1,617
178.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,078 $3,078
$1,527 $1,527
101.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,447 $9,447
$2,900 $2,900
225.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,190 $5,190
$2,766 $2,766
87.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.1K $18.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,693 $6,693
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Toms River, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,220 $5,220
$5,268 $5,268
-0.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
6.67
2.85%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Toms River, NJ: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
Toms River, NJ
$1.5K 50.4% $1.6K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$563
Toms River, NJ
$445 21% $118
Eating Out
New York, NY
$440
Toms River, NJ
$318 27.7% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$364
Toms River, NJ
$342 6.1% $22
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$175
Toms River, NJ
$174 0.6% $1.1
Getting Around
New York, NY
$164
Toms River, NJ
$14 * 91.7% $151
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$156
Toms River, NJ
$64 58.7% $92

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,617 in Toms River, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in New York, NY versus $74 in Toms River, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $445 – making Toms River, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Toms River, NJ
🕒 Local time
19:15 7:15 PM
19:15 7:15 PM
Same time as New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
95,438
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Toms River, NJ 76 km
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Toms River, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Toms River, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, New York, NY or Toms River, NJ?
New York, NY costs about 71% more than Toms River, NJ, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in New York, NY and in Toms River, NJ?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $4,326 in Toms River, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, New York, NY or Toms River, NJ?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Toms River, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,617 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.
How much does it cost to live in New York, NY compared to Toms River, NJ?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,884 in Toms River, NJ. That makes Toms River, NJ about 42% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in New York, NY and in Toms River, NJ?
Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $3,103 in Toms River, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in New York, NY or in Toms River, NJ?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,884 in Toms River, NJ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Toms River, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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