Passaic, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Passaic, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Passaic 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 Passaic 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 Passaic is 126, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Passaic is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Passaic ranks as the #116 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Passaic ranks as the #4,776 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Passaic is $566,739.

  • The median income in Passaic is $56,780.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
Passaic's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Passaic, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Passaic has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Passaic has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Passaic ranks as #116 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Passaic ranks as the #144 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Passaic, check out:

116 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,776 out of 6,489
In America

Passaic Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Passaic is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Passaic is 102.

  • The Health index in Passaic is 97.

  • The Housing index in Passaic is 170.

  • The Transportation index in Passaic is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Passaic is 112.

Living Expense Passaic New Jersey National Average
Overall 126 122 100
Services 109 108 100
Groceries 102 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 170 159 100
Transportation 109 101 100
Utilities 112 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Passaic Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Passaic, 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 Passaic is $566,739.

  • The Median Rent in Passaic is $1,392.

  • The Median Income in Passaic is $56,780.

  • The Home Value To Income in Passaic is 10.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Passaic is 0.29x.

Statistic Passaic New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $566,739 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,392 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $56,780 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.0x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.2x 0.21x
$566,739
Median Home Value
$1,392
Median Rent
$56,780
Median Income

Passaic, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Passaic Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Passaic New Jersey
Shampoo $1.48 $1.28
Movie $15.78 $12.13
Bowling $21.0 $18
Haircut $25.62 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.67 $45.56

Detailed Passaic Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Passaic New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.65 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.71 $4.67
Potatoes $5.37 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $11.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Passaic Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Passaic New Jersey
Optometrist $157.11 $125.68
Doctor $115.59 $135.78
Dentist $124.27 $113.29

Detailed Passaic Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Passaic New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $82.67 $59.92

Detailed Passaic Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Passaic New Jersey
All Electricity $236.04 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Passaic SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
4
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Passaic

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

  • Clifton, NJ has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Passaic.

  • Garfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 130, 1.0x Passaic.

  • Lodi, NJ has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Passaic.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Passaic
Clifton, NJ 89,247 127 1.0x
Garfield, NJ 32,502 130 1.0x
Lodi, NJ 25,946 132 1.0x
Elmwood Park, NJ 21,287 135 1.1x
Eastchester, NY 20,519 167 1.3x
Rutherford, NJ 18,748 144 1.1x
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 12,067 138 1.1x
Wallington, NJ 11,825 133 1.1x
Dobbs Ferry, NY 11,397 173 1.4x
Wood-Ridge, NJ 10,094 140 1.1x

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