New Brunswick, NJ Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In New Brunswick, NJ Summary
Cost of living in New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick is 118, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in New Brunswick is 1.2x higher than the national average.
New Brunswick ranks as the #74 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.
New Brunswick ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in New Brunswick is $447,321.
The median income in New Brunswick is $60,248.
Table Of Contents
New Brunswick's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in New Brunswick, NJ?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, New Brunswick has an overall cost of living index of 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, New Brunswick has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than New Jersey's index of 122.
The standard of living in New Brunswick ranks as #74 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies New Brunswick ranks as the #186 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in New Brunswick, check out:
In New Jersey
In America
New Brunswick Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in New Brunswick. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in New Brunswick is 111.
The Groceries index in New Brunswick is 103.
The Health index in New Brunswick is 100.
The Housing index in New Brunswick is 148.
The Transportation index in New Brunswick is 106.
The Utilities index in New Brunswick is 110.
| Living Expense | New Brunswick | New Jersey | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 118 | 122 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 108 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 148 | 159 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 106 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 107 | 100 | |
New Brunswick, 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 New Brunswick is $447,321.
The Median Rent in New Brunswick is $1,790.
The Median Income in New Brunswick is $60,248.
The Home Value To Income in New Brunswick is 7.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in New Brunswick is 0.36x.
| Statistic | New Brunswick | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $447,321 | $564,432 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,790 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $60,248 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.4x | 5.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.36x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
New Brunswick, NJ Costs By Category
Detailed New Brunswick Services Costs Vs. New Jersey
| Item | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.53 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.53 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.98 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.25 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed New Brunswick Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey
| Item | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.13 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.7 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.32 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.59 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.12 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
Detailed New Brunswick Health Costs Vs. New Jersey
| Item | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.1 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.94 | $113.29 |
Detailed New Brunswick Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey
| Item | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed New Brunswick Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey
| Item | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.08 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
New Brunswick SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around New Brunswick
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around New Brunswick. 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, 1.5x New Brunswick.
Somerset, NJ has a cost of living index of 130, 1.1x New Brunswick.
Colonia, NJ has a cost of living index of 131, 1.1x New Brunswick.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. New Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westfield, NJ | 30,760 | 178 | 1.5x |
| Somerset, NJ | 23,851 | 130 | 1.1x |
| Colonia, NJ | 18,294 | 131 | 1.1x |
| South River, NJ | 16,007 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Highland Park, NJ | 14,981 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Middlesex, NJ | 14,518 | 126 | 1.1x |
| Bradley Gardens, NJ | 14,315 | 150 | 1.3x |
| New Providence, NJ | 13,577 | 160 | 1.4x |
| Martinsville, NJ | 12,016 | 159 | 1.3x |
| East Franklin, NJ | 10,281 | 121 | 1.0x |
