Mountainside, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mountainside, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Mountainside 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 Mountainside 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 Mountainside is 173, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mountainside is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Mountainside ranks as the #236 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Mountainside ranks as the #6,114 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mountainside is $1,026,942.

  • The median income in Mountainside is $210,100.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
173
Mountainside's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mountainside, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mountainside has an overall cost of living index of 173, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Mountainside has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Mountainside ranks as #236 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Mountainside ranks as the #24 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Mountainside, check out:

236 out of 260
In New Jersey
6,114 out of 6,489
In America

Mountainside Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Mountainside is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Mountainside is 100.

  • The Health index in Mountainside is 97.

  • The Housing index in Mountainside is 348.

  • The Transportation index in Mountainside is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Mountainside is 102.

Living Expense Mountainside New Jersey National Average
Overall 173 122 100
Services 99 108 100
Groceries 100 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 348 159 100
Transportation 93 101 100
Utilities 102 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Mountainside Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Mountainside, 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 Mountainside is $1,026,942.

  • The Median Rent in Mountainside is $3,501.

  • The Median Income in Mountainside is $210,100.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mountainside is 4.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mountainside is 0.2x.

Statistic Mountainside New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $1,026,942 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $3,501 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $210,100 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,026,942
Median Home Value
$3,501
Median Rent
$210,100
Median Income

Mountainside, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Mountainside Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Mountainside New Jersey
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $14.15 $12.13
Bowling $25.03 $18
Haircut $29.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.36 $45.56

Detailed Mountainside Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Mountainside New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.64 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.55 $1.57
Milk $4.74 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $11.66 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Mountainside Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Mountainside New Jersey
Optometrist $105.11 $125.68
Doctor $117.94 $135.78
Dentist $121.22 $113.29

Detailed Mountainside Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Mountainside New Jersey
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $77.33 $59.92

Detailed Mountainside Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Mountainside New Jersey
All Electricity $230.68 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Mountainside SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mountainside

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

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.0x Mountainside.

  • Summit, NJ has a cost of living index of 183, 1.1x Mountainside.

  • Short Hills, NJ has a cost of living index of 259, 1.5x Mountainside.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mountainside
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.0x
Summit, NJ 22,512 183 1.1x
Short Hills, NJ 14,398 259 1.5x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,315 150 0.9x
Roselle Park, NJ 13,965 122 0.7x
New Providence, NJ 13,577 160 0.9x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.0x
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 12,067 138 0.8x
Martinsville, NJ 12,016 159 0.9x
Lincoln Park, NJ 10,901 124 0.7x

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