Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Bergen County, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Bergen County, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,906 in San Diego, CA versus $4,079 in Bergen County, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,746 in San Diego, CA versus $5,118 in Bergen County, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,587 in San Diego, CA versus $6,157 in Bergen County, NJ.

Living in San Diego, CA costs roughly 4% less than in Bergen County, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Diego, CA 191% above, Bergen County, NJ 204% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.14 $23.14

$19.71 $19.71

17.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$84.0 $84.0

20.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.74 $14.74

$14.07 $14.07

4.76%

Cappuccino

$6.04 $6.04

$5.02 $5.02

20.32%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$2.45 $2.45

23.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.24 $2.24

12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.80 $6.80

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 $8.76

$9.15 $9.15

-4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.26 $1.26

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.44 $4.44

1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$8.96 $8.96

-50.45%

Eggs

$5.26 $5.26

$4.90 $4.90

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 $13.57

$17.37 $17.37

-21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$11.94 $11.94

4.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$17.72 $17.72

5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.07 $5.07

-5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.77 $1.77

-6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.02 $4.02

-2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.22 $4.22

13.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.90 $2.90

1.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.83 $3.83

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.45 $2.45

-7.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.25 $2.25

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$13.54 $13.54

-12.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$15.12 $15.12

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.77 $1.77

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.58 $3.58

-29.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$4.29 $4.29

-41.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 $72.5

$171 $171

-57.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.37 $1.37

51.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.14 $28.14

$23.68 $23.68

18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.92 $0.92

41.30%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$29.2K $29.2K

6.52%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.68%

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

$272 $272

$126 $126

115.35%

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

$67.6 $67.6

$45.22 $45.22

49.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$65.2 $65.2

19.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 $66.9

$42.15 $42.15

58.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 $24.81

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 $16.20

$17.11 $17.11

-5.32%

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

$1,596 $1,596

$2,294 $2,294

-30.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

20.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$74.9 $74.9

-20.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 $58.9

$24.44 $24.44

141.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$87.5 $87.5

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$117 $117

-0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$2,728 $2,728

3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,390 $2,390

$2,685 $2,685

-10.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,901 $4,901

$4,719 $4,719

3.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,183 $4,183

$2,968 $2,968

40.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,232 $8,232

$3,947 $3,947

108.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,581 $6,581

$3,701 $3,701

77.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,342 $5,342

$5,456 $5,456

-2.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.57

-2.74%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,832 in San Diego, CA and $2,728 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 2% 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: $101 in San Diego, CA vs $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $425 vs $450, with San Diego, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

San Diego, CA vs Bergen County, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Diego, CA and Bergen County, NJ differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($3,906 vs $4,079 including rent). San Diego, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bergen County, NJ earns 2% 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: $2,832 in San Diego, CA versus $2,728 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Diego, CA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,906 per month in San Diego, CA versus $4,079 in Bergen County, NJ – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. San Diego, CA 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.

Safety-wise, San Diego, CA and Bergen County, NJ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Diego, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.