Cost of Living Comparison Between Waltham, MA and Woodbridge, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Waltham, MA and Woodbridge, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,968 in Waltham, MA versus $3,453 in Woodbridge, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,146 in Waltham, MA versus $4,958 in Woodbridge, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,324 in Waltham, MA versus $6,462 in Woodbridge, NJ.

Living in Waltham, MA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Woodbridge, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waltham, MA 197% above, Woodbridge, NJ 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.37 $19.37

$20.20 $20.20

-4.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$98.5 $98.5

0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$12.67 $12.67

-10.42%

Cappuccino

$4.53 $4.53

$5.42 $5.42

-16.42%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.44 $2.44

11.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.87 $1.87

16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.96 $6.96

-14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 $7.69

$7.90 $7.90

-2.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.29 $1.29

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.69 $3.69

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$6.29 $6.29

-36.88%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$4.76 $4.76

-0.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$21.00 $21.00

-22.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 $10.46

$12.73 $12.73

-17.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$17.43 $17.43

16.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$6.00 $6.00

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.78 $1.78

25.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.73 $5.73

-1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$6.15 $6.15

26.34%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.22 $5.22

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$4.82 $4.82

-49.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.77 $2.77

2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.69 $2.69

-43.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$11.80 $11.80

-7.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.99 $15.99

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.68 $1.68

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$5.86 $5.86

-49.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.04 $2.04

9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 $60.1

$119 $119

-49.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.05 $3.05

-12.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.82 $1.82

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.77 $27.77

$41.28 $41.28

-32.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.91 $0.91

-1.10%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.2K $30.2K

-2.01%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.0K $25.0K

-1.35%

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

$321 $321

$137 $137

133.15%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$60.9 $60.9

-6.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 $77.2

$69.2 $69.2

11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.50 $43.50

$34.63 $34.63

25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 $34.91

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$20.04 $20.04

-26.25%

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

$1,504 $1,504

$1,489 $1,489

1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$18.0K $18.0K

52.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 $67.1

$60.8 $60.8

10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 $31.94

$59.4 $59.4

-46.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 $66.9

$112 $112

-40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 $84.8

$132 $132

-35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,703 $2,703

$2,188 $2,188

23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,536 $2,536

$2,011 $2,011

26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,331 $4,331

$3,155 $3,155

37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,072 $5,072

$3,009 $3,009

68.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,249 $3,249

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 $3,045

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,127 $5,127

$7,049 $7,049

-27.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.62

-2.87%

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

Last update for Waltham, MA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Woodbridge, NJ: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,703 in Waltham, MA and $2,188 in Woodbridge, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Woodbridge, NJ pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Waltham, MA vs $98.0 in Woodbridge, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $488, with Waltham, MA 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

Waltham, MA vs Woodbridge, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Woodbridge, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Waltham, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Woodbridge, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Woodbridge, 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: $2,703 in Waltham, MA versus $2,188 in Woodbridge, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,504 in Waltham, MA versus $1,489 in Woodbridge, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Waltham, MA pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Woodbridge, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Woodbridge, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,453 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Woodbridge, NJ hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Waltham, MA and Woodbridge, 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 Woodbridge, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Waltham, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.