Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Monica, CA and Edison, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Edison, NJ: $3,191 a month against $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

214

Cost of Living Index in Santa Monica, CA
Learn more

Santa Monica, CA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Edison, NJ
Learn more

Edison, NJ Living Index

Jump to prices

Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,430

/mo nomad

Edison, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Monica, CA and in Edison, NJ

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA versus $3,191 in Edison, NJ.

Santa Monica, CA $4,430
Edison, NJ $3,191

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,581 in Santa Monica, CA versus $4,474 in Edison, NJ.

Santa Monica, CA $6,581
Edison, NJ $4,474

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,732 in Santa Monica, CA versus $5,758 in Edison, NJ.

Santa Monica, CA $8,732
Edison, NJ $5,758

Living in Santa Monica, CA is roughly 39% more expensive than in Edison, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Monica, CA 228% above, Edison, NJ 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.77 $26.77

$18.28 $18.28

46.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$60.0 $60.0

97.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.11 $9.11

63.34%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$4.10 $4.10

44.63%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$1.02 $1.02

219.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.98 $0.98

144.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$3.54 $3.54

129.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$6.96 $6.96

42.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.99 $0.99

35.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.22 $3.22

41.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$5.88 $5.88

-20.92%

Eggs

$5.73 $5.73

$2.57 $2.57

122.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$13.43 $13.43

17.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$10.23 $10.23

38.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 $19.80

$19.57 $19.57

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$6.22 $6.22

-23.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.54 $1.54

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.21 $4.21

-6.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$5.42 $5.42

0.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.98 $2.98

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.05 $3.05

-7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.04 $3.04

-29.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.03 $2.03

22.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$9.94 $9.94

16.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.85 $14.85

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.80 $1.80

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.51 $3.51

-12.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$6.02 $6.02

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 $67.0

$203 $203

-67.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.09 $3.09

1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.95 $0.95

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 $32.68

$41.80 $41.80

-21.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.96 $0.96

51.04%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.12%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

0.68%

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

$218 $218

$172 $172

26.50%

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

$46.37 $46.37

$51.4 $51.4

-9.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$49.68 $49.68

31.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 $70.7

$21.66 $21.66

226.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.11 $44.11

Cinema Ticket

$19.36 $19.36

$15.11 $15.11

28.13%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$2,005 $2,005

-15.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$16.0K $16.0K

102.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 $88.9

$51.0 $51.0

74.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 $54.8

$79.7 $79.7

-31.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$59.5 $59.5

74.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$89.2 $89.2

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,328 $3,328

$2,096 $2,096

58.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 $2,860

$1,835 $1,835

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,804 $5,804

$3,113 $3,113

86.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,048 $5,048

$2,796 $2,796

80.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,924 $7,924

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,900 $6,900

$6,924 $6,924

-0.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.42

3.12%

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

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K 64.6%

Edison, NJ

$1.8K 57.5% 35.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Santa Monica, CA

$462 10.4%

Edison, NJ

$408 12.8% 11.7% $54

Eating Out

Santa Monica, CA

$413 9.3%

Edison, NJ

$262 8.2% 36.5% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Monica, CA

$329 7.4%

Edison, NJ

$273 8.6% 17% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Monica, CA

$166 3.8%

Edison, NJ

$126 3.9% 24.3% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Monica, CA

$109 2.5%

Edison, NJ

$52 1.6% 52.6% $58

Getting Around

Santa Monica, CA

$90 2%

Edison, NJ

$235 7.4% 162% $145

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,328 in Santa Monica, CA and $2,096 in Edison, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edison, NJ pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Santa Monica, CA vs $60.0 in Edison, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $462 vs $408 per month, with Edison, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 Edison, NJ

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

20:16 8:16 PM

3 h ahead of Santa Monica, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,736

107,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Santa Monica, CA Edison, NJ 3,930 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Monica, CA
Edison, 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

Santa Monica, CA vs Edison, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Monica, CA and Edison, NJ differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($4,430 vs $3,191 including rent). Edison, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Edison, 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: $3,328 in Santa Monica, CA versus $2,096 in Edison, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Edison, NJ runs roughly 203% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,694 in Santa Monica, CA versus $2,005 in Edison, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Edison, 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.

Safety-wise, Santa Monica, CA and Edison, 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 Edison, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.