Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Fairfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, NJ: $2,865 a month against $3,978 in Fairfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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
190

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CA
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Fairfield, CA Living Index

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Fairfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, NJ and in Fairfield, CA

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 Fairfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,865 in Newark, NJ versus $3,978 in Fairfield, CA.

Newark, NJ $2,865
Fairfield, CA $3,978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,206 in Newark, NJ versus $5,242 in Fairfield, CA.

Newark, NJ $4,206
Fairfield, CA $5,242

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,546 in Newark, NJ versus $6,507 in Fairfield, CA.

Newark, NJ $5,546
Fairfield, CA $6,507

Living in Newark, NJ costs roughly 28% less than in Fairfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 112% above, Fairfield, CA 194% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$21.62 $21.62

-6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$88.7 $88.7

14.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.46 $14.46

$12.01 $12.01

20.40%

Cappuccino

$6.68 $6.68

$6.94 $6.94

-3.75%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$3.49 $3.49

10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.02 $2.02

21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.98 $7.98

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.91 $9.91

$7.16 $7.16

38.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.41 $1.41

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.42 $4.42

4.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$4.68 $4.68

65.17%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$5.54 $5.54

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$14.08 $14.08

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.01 $18.01

$15.20 $15.20

18.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.84 $20.84

$17.77 $17.77

17.28%

Apples (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.11 $6.11

15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.59 $2.59

-11.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$6.35 $6.35

6.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.60 $6.60

2.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.89 $3.89

18.51%

Onion (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.54 $3.54

37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.33 $2.33

28.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.06 $2.06

32.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.46 $11.46

$11.87 $11.87

-3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.68 $19.68

$10.18 $10.18

93.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.11 $2.11

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.12 $2.12

31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.96 $1.96

-2.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 $72.0

$87.1 $87.1

-17.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.95 $2.95

4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.95 $1.95

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.70 $38.70

$29.14 $29.14

32.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.43 $1.43

-24.48%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

-0.93%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.44%

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

$217 $217

$193 $193

12.64%

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

$71.6 $71.6

$48.25 $48.25

48.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$72.9 $72.9

-3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.28 $15.28

$125 $125

-87.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 $17.46

$73.7 $73.7

-76.31%

Cinema Ticket

$14.59 $14.59

$14.61 $14.61

-0.14%

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

$2,155 $2,155

$1,293 $1,293

66.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K $33.9K

$22.3K $22.3K

52.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 $59.3

$51.1 $51.1

16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 $27.50

$37.08 $37.08

-25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$107 $107

11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$112 $112

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,396 $2,396

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$2,432 $2,432

-45.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,273 $3,273

$3,100 $3,100

5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$2,967 $2,967

-31.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,719 $3,719

12.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,612 $3,612

$3,665 $3,665

-1.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,912 $3,912

$4,749 $4,749

-17.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.48

3.09%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: November 1, 2026

Last update for Fairfield, CA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.3K 46.1%

Fairfield, CA

$2.4K 61.1% 84% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$521 18.2%

Fairfield, CA

$463 11.7% 11.1% $58

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$371 12.9%

Fairfield, CA

$369 9.3% 0.5% $2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 12.5%

Fairfield, CA

$314 7.9% 12.5% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$155 5.4%

Fairfield, CA

$138 3.5% 10.7% $17

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$94 3.3%

Fairfield, CA

$108 2.7% 14.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$44 1.6%

Fairfield, CA

$155 3.9% 247% $110

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,489 in Newark, NJ and $2,396 in Fairfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Newark, NJ vs $89 in Fairfield, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $521 vs $463 per month, with Fairfield, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CA

🕒 Local time

15:15 3:15 PM

12:15 12:15 PM

3 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

117,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Newark, NJ Fairfield, CA 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
Fairfield, CA

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 Fairfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newark, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Fairfield, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Newark, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Newark, 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: $2,489 in Newark, NJ versus $2,396 in Fairfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,865 per month in Newark, NJ versus $3,978 in Fairfield, CA – Newark, NJ is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Newark, NJ runs roughly 17% less than in Fairfield, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Newark, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Newark, NJ wins on affordability, Fairfield, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.