What is the cost of living in Upper Montclair, NJ?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Upper Montclair has an overall cost of living index of 184, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, Upper Montclair has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than New Jersey's index of 125.
The standard of living in Upper Montclair ranks as #248 most affordable out of the 262 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Upper Montclair ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in Upper Montclair, check out:
Upper Montclair Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Upper Montclair. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Upper Montclair is 107.
The Groceries index in Upper Montclair is 116.
The Health index in Upper Montclair is 349.
The Housing index in Upper Montclair is 115.
The Transportation index in Upper Montclair is 113.
The Utilities index in Upper Montclair is 113.
| Living Expense | Upper Montclair | New Jersey | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 184 | 125 | 100 |
| Services | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Groceries | 116 | 113 | 100 |
| Health | 349 | 155 | 100 |
| Housing | 115 | 116 | 100 |
| Transportation | 113 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 113 | 113 | 100 |
Upper Montclair Cost Of Living Compared To New Jersey Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Upper Montclair Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Upper Montclair, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Upper Montclair is $1,239,321.
The Median Rent in Upper Montclair is $2,237.
The Median Income in Upper Montclair is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Upper Montclair is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Upper Montclair is 0.11x.
| Statistic | Upper Montclair | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,239,321 | $569,411 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,237 | $1,720 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $103,556 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 5.5x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.11x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Upper Montclair, NJ Costs By Category
Detailed Upper Montclair Services costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Upper Montclair | 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 Upper Montclair Groceries costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Upper Montclair | 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 Upper Montclair Health costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Upper Montclair | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $157.11 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $115.59 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $124.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Upper Montclair Transportation costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Upper Montclair | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $82.67 | $59.92 |
Detailed Upper Montclair Utilities costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Upper Montclair | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $236.04 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
Upper Montclair SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Upper Montclair
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Upper Montclair. 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 132, 0.7x Upper Montclair.
Passaic, NJ has a cost of living index of 130, 0.7x Upper Montclair.
Nanuet, NY has a cost of living index of 143, 0.8x Upper Montclair.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Upper Montclair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton, NJ | 89,379 | 132 | 0.7x |
| Passaic, NJ | 70,002 | 130 | 0.7x |
| Nanuet, NY | 19,799 | 143 | 0.8x |
| Pearl River, NY | 16,155 | 146 | 0.8x |
| Florham Park, NJ | 13,564 | 174 | 0.9x |
| Woodland Park, NJ | 13,355 | 135 | 0.7x |
| Suffern, NY | 11,441 | 128 | 0.7x |
| Totowa, NJ | 10,959 | 138 | 0.8x |
| Lincoln Park, NJ | 10,957 | 133 | 0.7x |
| Chestnut Ridge, NY | 10,557 | 153 | 0.8x |
