Fort Lee, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Fort Lee, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Fort Lee research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fort Lee is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Fort Lee is 141, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fort Lee is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Fort Lee ranks as the #177 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Fort Lee ranks as the #5,438 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fort Lee is $577,453.

  • The median income in Fort Lee is $105,535.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
141
Fort Lee's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Lee, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Lee has an overall cost of living index of 141, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Fort Lee has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Fort Lee ranks as #177 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Fort Lee ranks as the #83 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Fort Lee, check out:

177 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,438 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Lee Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fort Lee. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Fort Lee is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Fort Lee is 113.

  • The Health index in Fort Lee is 122.

  • The Housing index in Fort Lee is 190.

  • The Transportation index in Fort Lee is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Fort Lee is 103.

Living Expense Fort Lee New Jersey National Average
Overall 141 122 100
Services 128 108 100
Groceries 113 104 100
Health 122 99 100
Housing 190 159 100
Transportation 116 101 100
Utilities 103 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Fort Lee Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Fort Lee, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Fort Lee is $577,453.

  • The Median Rent in Fort Lee is $2,255.

  • The Median Income in Fort Lee is $105,535.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fort Lee is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Lee is 0.26x.

Statistic Fort Lee New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $577,453 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $2,255 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $105,535 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.21x
$577,453
Median Home Value
$2,255
Median Rent
$105,535
Median Income

Fort Lee, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Lee Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Fort Lee New Jersey
Shampoo $1.69 $1.28
Movie $13.68 $12.13
Bowling $29.4 $18
Haircut $34.94 $24.26
Beauty Salon $64.07 $45.56

Detailed Fort Lee Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Fort Lee New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.87 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.97 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $12.57 $12.09
Beer $11.87 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.96 $3.7

Detailed Fort Lee Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Fort Lee New Jersey
Optometrist $128.97 $125.68
Doctor $162.24 $135.78
Dentist $149.64 $113.29

Detailed Fort Lee Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Fort Lee New Jersey
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $86.43 $59.92

Detailed Fort Lee Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Fort Lee New Jersey
All Electricity $201.27 $193.99
Phone $200.67 $192.25

Fort Lee SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
10
Education
9
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Lee

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fort Lee. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Englewood, NJ has a cost of living index of 144, 1.0x Fort Lee.

  • Cliffside Park, NJ has a cost of living index of 149, 1.1x Fort Lee.

  • Palisades Park, NJ has a cost of living index of 163, 1.2x Fort Lee.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fort Lee
Englewood, NJ 29,342 144 1.0x
Cliffside Park, NJ 25,580 149 1.1x
Palisades Park, NJ 20,192 163 1.2x
Woodmere, NY 18,198 194 1.4x
Port Washington, NY 17,613 194 1.4x
Fairview, NJ 14,920 156 1.1x
Edgewater, NJ 14,544 177 1.3x
North New Hyde Park, NY 14,354 178 1.3x
Ridgefield Park, NJ 13,167 140 1.0x
Ridgefield, NJ 11,439 153 1.1x

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