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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,561 in Santa Monica, CA versus $3,373 in Edison, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,985 in Santa Monica, CA versus $4,737 in Edison, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,408 in Santa Monica, CA versus $6,101 in Edison, NJ.

Living in Santa Monica, CA is roughly 35% more expensive than Edison, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Monica, CA 240% above, Edison, NJ 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$20.07 $20.07

25.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$80.9 $80.9

21.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$12.62 $12.62

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.14 $5.14

8.75%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.44 $2.44

20.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.13 $2.13

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.61 $8.61

$8.02 $8.02

7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.23 $8.23

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.23 $1.23

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.00 $4.00

7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.21 $6.21

-29.63%

Eggs

$6.99 $6.99

$4.15 $4.15

68.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$13.54 $13.54

-7.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.39 $12.39

12.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$15.26 $15.26

-3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$6.26 $6.26

-10.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.58 $2.58

-23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$5.30 $5.30

-25.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$6.18 $6.18

-7.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.33 $4.33

-31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.38 $4.38

-42.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.48 $2.48

-23.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.29 $2.29

-5.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 $10.97

$11.10 $11.10

-1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$15.28 $15.28

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.75 $1.75

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.69 $3.69

39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 $2.18

$6.03 $6.03

-63.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 $78.8

$203 $203

-61.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.98 $2.98

3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.97 $0.97

76.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.91 $28.91

$42.67 $42.67

-32.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.93 $0.93

39.78%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

-5.02%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

-4.41%

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

$192 $192

$181 $181

6.10%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$60.5 $60.5

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$67.3 $67.3

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$21.82 $21.82

459.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.04 $45.04

Cinema Ticket

$18.15 $18.15

$14.94 $14.94

21.49%

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

$1,806 $1,806

$1,882 $1,882

-4.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K $14.8K

$14.1K $14.1K

5.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$62.5 $62.5

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.90 $34.90

$55.5 $55.5

-37.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$112 $112

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$132 $132

15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,293 $3,293

$2,153 $2,153

52.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 $2,878

$1,801 $1,801

59.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,994 $6,994

$3,210 $3,210

117.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,951 $5,951

$2,822 $2,822

110.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,190 $8,190

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,147 $7,147

$6,796 $6,796

5.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.55

-0.92%

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

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA and $2,153 in Edison, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Monica, CA pays 5% 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: $98.0 in Santa Monica, CA vs $81.0 in Edison, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $436 vs $447, with Santa Monica, 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

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

Santa Monica, CA and Edison, NJ differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($4,561 vs $3,373 including rent). Edison, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Monica, CA pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA versus $2,153 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 158% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,806 in Santa Monica, CA versus $1,882 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 35% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.