Cost of living in South River 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 River 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 River is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South River is 1.2x higher than the national average.
South River ranks as the #93 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.
South River ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in South River is $524,757.
The median income in South River is $101,853.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South River has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, South River has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than New Jersey's index of 122.
The standard of living in South River ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies South River ranks as the #167 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in South River, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South River. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South River is 109.
The Groceries index in South River is 103.
The Health index in South River is 102.
The Housing index in South River is 161.
The Transportation index in South River is 104.
The Utilities index in South River is 108.
| Living Expense | South River | New Jersey | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 122 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 108 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Health | 102 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 161 | 159 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 104 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 107 | 100 | |
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 River is $524,757.
The Median Rent in South River is $1,599.
The Median Income in South River is $101,853.
The Home Value To Income in South River is 5.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South River is 0.19x.
| Statistic | South River | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $524,757 | $564,432 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,599 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $101,853 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.2x | 5.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | South River | 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 |
| Item | South River | 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 |
| Item | South River | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.1 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.94 | $113.29 |
| Item | South River | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.38 | $59.92 |
| Item | South River | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.08 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South River. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
New Brunswick, NJ has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x South River.
Sayreville, NJ has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x South River.
Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.5x South River.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South River |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick, NJ | 55,744 | 118 | 1.0x |
| Sayreville, NJ | 45,237 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Westfield, NJ | 30,760 | 178 | 1.5x |
| Old Bridge, NJ | 28,015 | 128 | 1.1x |
| Colonia, NJ | 18,294 | 131 | 1.1x |
| Highland Park, NJ | 14,981 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Middlesex, NJ | 14,518 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Bradley Gardens, NJ | 14,315 | 150 | 1.2x |
| New Providence, NJ | 13,577 | 160 | 1.3x |
| Martinsville, NJ | 12,016 | 159 | 1.3x |