Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, NJ: $2,865 a month against $3,303 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Newark, NJ
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Newark, NJ Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, NJ and in Boulder, CO

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Newark, NJ and in Boulder, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,865 per month in Newark, NJ vs $3,303 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Newark, NJ $2,865
Boulder, CO $3,303

A couple spends around $4,206 per month in Newark, NJ vs $4,905 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Newark, NJ $4,206
Boulder, CO $4,905

A family of three spends $5,546 per month in Newark, NJ vs $6,508 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Newark, NJ $5,546
Boulder, CO $6,508

Newark, NJ is about 13% cheaper than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Newark, NJ and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Newark, NJ by 112%, Boulder, CO by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$20.17 $20.17

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$79.1 $79.1

28.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.46 $14.46

$14.98 $14.98

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$6.68 $6.68

$5.74 $5.74

16.38%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$3.53 $3.53

9.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.93 $2.93

-16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.87 $6.87

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.91 $9.91

$7.91 $7.91

25.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.23 $1.23

11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.50 $5.50

-16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$6.70 $6.70

15.37%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$5.48 $5.48

9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$11.77 $11.77

-40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.01 $18.01

$11.23 $11.23

60.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.84 $20.84

$17.36 $17.36

20.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$5.81 $5.81

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.44 $1.44

59.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$6.08 $6.08

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.06 $6.06

11.22%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.08 $4.08

12.99%

Onion (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.70 $3.70

31.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$3.48 $3.48

-13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.76 $2.76

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.46 $11.46

$10.26 $10.26

11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.68 $19.68

$17.09 $17.09

15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.91 $1.91

0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.94 $4.94

-43.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.78 $2.78

-31.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 $72.0

$86.9 $86.9

-17.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.47 $2.47

24.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.41 $1.41

56.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.70 $38.70

$24.02 $24.02

61.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.5K $28.5K

-2.05%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.98%

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

$217 $217

$229 $229

-5.30%

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

$71.6 $71.6

$71.5 $71.5

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$74.4 $74.4

-5.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.28 $15.28

$75.5 $75.5

-79.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 $17.46

$19.92 $19.92

-12.35%

Cinema Ticket

$14.59 $14.59

$18.82 $18.82

-22.48%

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

$2,155 $2,155

$1,927 $1,927

11.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K $33.9K

$32.4K $32.4K

4.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 $59.3

$68.0 $68.0

-12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 $27.50

$49.54 $49.54

-44.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$93.1 $93.1

29.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$141 $141

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,181 $2,181

14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$1,726 $1,726

-23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,273 $3,273

$3,833 $3,833

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$3,071 $3,071

-33.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,157 $6,157

-31.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,612 $3,612

$4,617 $4,617

-21.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,912 $3,912

$5,513 $5,513

-29.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.67

0.15%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: November 1, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.3K 46.1%

Boulder, CO

$1.7K 52.3% 30.6% $405

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$521 18.2%

Boulder, CO

$472 14.3% 9.4% $49

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$371 12.9%

Boulder, CO

$351 10.6% 5.2% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 12.5%

Boulder, CO

$375 11.4% 4.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$155 5.4%

Boulder, CO

$158 4.8% 2.3% $3.6

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$94 3.3%

Boulder, CO

$108 3.3% 14.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$44 1.6%

Boulder, CO

$113 3.4% 154% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,489 in Newark, NJ versus $2,181 in Boulder, CO. 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 41% higher in Boulder, CO. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Newark, NJ versus $79 in Boulder, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $521 vs $472 – making Boulder, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

22:25 10:25 PM

2 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

106,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Newark, NJ Boulder, CO 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
Boulder, CO

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

Newark, NJ vs Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,297 per month in Newark, NJ and $4,955 in Boulder, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boulder, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,181 there versus $2,489 in Newark, NJ.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Boulder, CO – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Newark, NJ and $79 in Boulder, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,865 in Newark, NJ and $3,303 in Boulder, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Boulder, CO has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,865 in Newark, NJ to $3,303 in Boulder, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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