Ocean City, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Ocean City, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Ocean 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 Ocean 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 Ocean City is 150, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Ocean City is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Ocean City ranks as the #202 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Ocean City ranks as the #5,692 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ocean City is $1,051,330.

  • The median income in Ocean City is $101,782.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
150
Ocean City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ocean City has an overall cost of living index of 150, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Ocean City ranks as #202 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Ocean City ranks as the #58 most expensive place in the Garden State.

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

202 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,692 out of 6,489
In America

Ocean City Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Ocean City is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Ocean City is 102.

  • The Health index in Ocean City is 97.

  • The Housing index in Ocean City is 256.

  • The Transportation index in Ocean City is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Ocean City is 108.

Living Expense Ocean City New Jersey National Average
Overall 150 122 100
Services 102 108 100
Groceries 102 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 256 159 100
Transportation 100 101 100
Utilities 108 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Ocean City Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Ocean 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 Ocean City is $1,051,330.

  • The Median Rent in Ocean City is $1,670.

  • The Median Income in Ocean City is $101,782.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ocean City is 10.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ocean City is 0.2x.

Statistic Ocean City New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $1,051,330 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,670 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $101,782 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.3x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,051,330
Median Home Value
$1,670
Median Rent
$101,782
Median Income

Ocean City, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Ocean City Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Ocean City New Jersey
Shampoo $1.28 $1.28
Movie $12.4 $12.13
Bowling $19.44 $18
Haircut $23.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $52.17 $45.56

Detailed Ocean City Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Ocean City New Jersey
Ground Beef $6.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.68 $4.67
Potatoes $5.38 $4.93
Pizza $12.29 $12.09
Beer $11.43 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.59 $3.7

Detailed Ocean City Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Ocean City New Jersey
Optometrist $143.3 $125.68
Doctor $134.5 $135.78
Dentist $120.11 $113.29

Detailed Ocean City Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Ocean City New Jersey
Gasoline $3.44 $3.46
Tire Balancing $62.39 $59.92

Detailed Ocean City Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Ocean City New Jersey
All Electricity $214.53 $193.99
Phone $195.25 $192.25

Ocean City SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
6
Safety
7
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
5

Articles About New Jersey

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