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Cost of living
in New Jersey
$3,365
Average cost per month
Distribution of expenses
Housing
46%Healthcare
11%Groceries
14%Utilities
10%Transit
2%Other
16%
Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.
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What makes New Jersey special?
New Jersey is the most densely populated US state, and its northern cities are closely tied to New York, with PATH trains running around the clock from Newark, Jersey City and Hoboken into Manhattan. Pharmaceuticals, finance and logistics drive much of its economy. The Jersey Shore lines about 141 miles of Atlantic coast, and Paterson's Little Lima is the largest Peruvian enclave outside South America.
Monthly costs in New Jersey
What everyday life costs in each city, side by side.
A full-time minimum-wage job in New Jersey pays about $2,759 a month, $606 short of these costs.
| Total | |
|---|---|
| Housing | $1,556 |
| Healthcare | $373 |
| Groceries | $487 |
| Utilities | $343 |
| Transit | $71 |
| Other | $535 |
Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.
Sources, updated September 2026: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities, 2024); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2024; Consumer Price Index); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Food Plans, July 2026); Federal Communications Commission (Urban Rate Survey, 2026); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Fair Market Rents, FY2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (weekly retail gasoline prices); official fare pages of each city's transit agency; Latin America: crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, used for reference.
Life in New Jersey
A few things that make New Jersey more than a number.
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Known as the diner capital of the world.
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Compare New Jersey with…
Side-by-side monthly costs for New Jersey and each city in the tool.
- Barranquilla
- Bogotá
- Bucaramanga
- Cali
- Caracas
- Cartagena
- Cúcuta
- Cuenca
- Guayaquil
- Lima
- Medellín
- Pereira
- Quito
- Valencia
Cost of living in other US cities
Monthly costs for one person, city by city.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in New Jersey?
About $3,365 a month for one adult, including rent for a one-bedroom apartment ($1,556). That covers housing, healthcare, groceries, utilities, transit and other everyday spending.
How much does a couple need to live in New Jersey?
About $4,792 a month for two adults sharing a one-bedroom apartment. Rent and home internet are shared, so two people pay less than double.
What is the typical rent in New Jersey?
A one-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,556 a month, a two-bedroom for about $1,742 and a three-bedroom for about $2,261. These are rents only; utilities are counted separately.
How much are groceries and utilities in New Jersey?
For one adult, groceries run about $487 a month and utilities about $343, including home internet.
How much does transportation cost in New Jersey?
About $71 a month for one adult.
Can you live on minimum wage in New Jersey?
A full-time minimum-wage job in New Jersey ($15.92 an hour) pays about $2,759 a month before taxes. Typical costs for one adult there are about $3,365 a month. Add your own income on this page to see what would be left.
Is New Jersey expensive compared with other U.S. cities?
Of the 15 U.S. cities in this tool, New Jersey is number 5 by monthly cost for one adult (1 is the most expensive).
How is the cost of living measured?
We add up typical monthly costs for one adult in six categories: housing, healthcare, groceries, utilities, transit and other everyday spending. U.S. figures are calculated from government data (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, HUD and the Energy Information Administration) plus transit agencies' published fares. Latin American figures come from crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, and their healthcare costs are a modeled estimate. Minimum wages are each city's local rate where it has one, otherwise the state rate published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Figures were last updated in 2026.
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