Jersey City, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Jersey City, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Jersey City 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 Jersey City 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 Jersey City is 143, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Jersey City ranks as the #185 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Jersey City ranks as the #5,499 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Jersey City is $646,545.

  • The median income in Jersey City is $94,813.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
143
Jersey City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Jersey City, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Jersey City has an overall cost of living index of 143, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Jersey City ranks as #185 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Jersey City ranks as the #75 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Jersey City, check out:

185 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,499 out of 6,489
In America

Jersey City Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Jersey City is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Jersey City is 115.

  • The Health index in Jersey City is 123.

  • The Housing index in Jersey City is 200.

  • The Transportation index in Jersey City is 114.

  • The Utilities index in Jersey City is 100.

Living Expense Jersey City New Jersey National Average
Overall 143 122 100
Services 128 108 100
Groceries 115 104 100
Health 123 99 100
Housing 200 159 100
Transportation 114 101 100
Utilities 100 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Jersey City Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Jersey City, 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 Jersey City is $646,545.

  • The Median Rent in Jersey City is $1,902.

  • The Median Income in Jersey City is $94,813.

  • The Home Value To Income in Jersey City is 6.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Jersey City is 0.24x.

Statistic Jersey City New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $646,545 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,902 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $94,813 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.8x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$646,545
Median Home Value
$1,902
Median Rent
$94,813
Median Income

Jersey City, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Jersey City Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Jersey City 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 Jersey City Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Jersey City 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 Jersey City Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Detailed Jersey City Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Jersey City New Jersey
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $86.43 $59.92

Detailed Jersey City Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Jersey City New Jersey
All Electricity $201.27 $193.99
Phone $200.67 $192.25

Jersey City SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
3

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