Union City, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Union City, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Union 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 Union 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 Union City is 137, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Union City is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Union City ranks as the #162 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Union City ranks as the #5,293 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Union City is $577,884.

  • The median income in Union City is $65,369.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
137
Union City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Union City has an overall cost of living index of 137, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Union City ranks as #162 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Union City ranks as the #98 most expensive place in the Garden State.

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

162 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,293 out of 6,489
In America

Union City Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Union City is 125.

  • The Groceries index in Union City is 112.

  • The Health index in Union City is 120.

  • The Housing index in Union City is 175.

  • The Transportation index in Union City is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Union City is 104.

Living Expense Union City New Jersey National Average
Overall 137 122 100
Services 125 108 100
Groceries 112 104 100
Health 120 99 100
Housing 175 159 100
Transportation 116 101 100
Utilities 104 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Union City Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Union 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 Union City is $577,884.

  • The Median Rent in Union City is $1,489.

  • The Median Income in Union City is $65,369.

  • The Home Value To Income in Union City is 8.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Union City is 0.27x.

Statistic Union City New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $577,884 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,489 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $65,369 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.8x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.2x 0.21x
$577,884
Median Home Value
$1,489
Median Rent
$65,369
Median Income

Union City, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Union City Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Union City New Jersey
Shampoo $1.69 $1.28
Movie $13.68 $12.13
Bowling $29.4 $18
Haircut $34.94 $24.26
Beauty Salon $64.07 $45.56

Detailed Union City Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Union City New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.87 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.97 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $12.57 $12.09
Beer $11.87 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.96 $3.7

Detailed Union City Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Union City New Jersey
Optometrist $128.97 $125.68
Doctor $162.24 $135.78
Dentist $149.64 $113.29

Detailed Union City Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Union City New Jersey
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $86.43 $59.92

Detailed Union City Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Union City New Jersey
All Electricity $201.27 $193.99
Phone $200.67 $192.25

Union City SnackAbility

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

Articles About New Jersey

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