South Plainfield, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In South Plainfield, NJ Summary

Cost of living in South Plainfield 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 South Plainfield 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 South Plainfield is 132, with 100 being the average.

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

  • South Plainfield ranks as the #143 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • South Plainfield ranks as the #5,080 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in South Plainfield is $587,763.

  • The median income in South Plainfield is $126,063.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
132
South Plainfield's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in South Plainfield, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 132, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, South Plainfield has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in South Plainfield ranks as #143 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies South Plainfield ranks as the #117 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in South Plainfield, check out:

143 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,080 out of 6,489
In America

South Plainfield Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in South Plainfield is 113.

  • The Groceries index in South Plainfield is 103.

  • The Health index in South Plainfield is 101.

  • The Housing index in South Plainfield is 184.

  • The Transportation index in South Plainfield is 105.

  • The Utilities index in South Plainfield is 108.

Living Expense South Plainfield New Jersey National Average
Overall 132 122 100
Services 113 108 100
Groceries 103 104 100
Health 101 99 100
Housing 184 159 100
Transportation 105 101 100
Utilities 108 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
South Plainfield Cost of Living Vs. NJ

South Plainfield, 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 South Plainfield is $587,763.

  • The Median Rent in South Plainfield is $1,928.

  • The Median Income in South Plainfield is $126,063.

  • The Home Value To Income in South Plainfield is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in South Plainfield is 0.18x.

Statistic South Plainfield New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $587,763 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,928 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $126,063 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.7x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.2x 0.21x
$587,763
Median Home Value
$1,928
Median Rent
$126,063
Median Income

South Plainfield, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed South Plainfield Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield 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 South Plainfield Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield 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 South Plainfield Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Optometrist $129.93 $125.68
Doctor $124.1 $135.78
Dentist $129.94 $113.29

Detailed South Plainfield Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.38 $59.92

Detailed South Plainfield Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
All Electricity $223.08 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

South Plainfield SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
10
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around South Plainfield

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

  • Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 118, 0.9x South Plainfield.

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.3x South Plainfield.

  • North Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 121, 0.9x South Plainfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. South Plainfield
Plainfield, NJ 54,515 118 0.9x
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.3x
North Plainfield, NJ 22,667 121 0.9x
Iselin, NJ 19,151 131 1.0x
Metuchen, NJ 14,982 144 1.1x
Highland Park, NJ 14,981 133 1.0x
Middlesex, NJ 14,518 126 1.0x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,315 150 1.1x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.2x
Martinsville, NJ 12,016 159 1.2x

Articles About New Jersey

Enjoy The Snack?