New Brunswick, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In New Brunswick, NJ Summary

Cost of living in New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick is 117, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in New Brunswick is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • New Brunswick ranks as the #69 cheapest in New Jersey out of 251.

  • New Brunswick ranks as the #4,628 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in New Brunswick is $265,700.

  • The median income in New Brunswick is $49,338.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
117
New Brunswick's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in New Brunswick, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, New Brunswick has an overall cost of living index of 117, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, New Brunswick has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Jersey's index of 111.

The standard of living in New Brunswick ranks as #69 most affordable out of the 251 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies New Brunswick ranks as the #182 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in New Brunswick, check out:

69 out of 251
In New Jersey
4,628 out of 6,412
In America

New Brunswick Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in New Brunswick is 113.

  • The Groceries index in New Brunswick is 106.

  • The Health index in New Brunswick is 103.

  • The Housing index in New Brunswick is 142.

  • The Transportation index in New Brunswick is 107.

  • The Utilities index in New Brunswick is 102.

Living Expense New Brunswick New Jersey National Average
Overall 117 111 100
Services 113 104 100
Groceries 106 104 100
Health 103 95 100
Housing 142 130 100
Transportation 107 106 100
Utilities 102 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
New Brunswick Cost of Living Vs. NJ

New Brunswick, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in New Brunswick is $265,700.

  • The Median Rent in New Brunswick is $1,597.

  • The Median Income in New Brunswick is $49,338.

  • The Home Value To Income in New Brunswick is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in New Brunswick is 0.39x.

Statistic New Brunswick New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $265,700 $355,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,597 $1,436 $1,163
Median Income $49,338 $89,703 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.4x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.39x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In New Brunswick, NJ
$265,700
Median Home Value
$1,597
Median Rent
$49,338
Median Income

New Brunswick, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed New Brunswick Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item New Brunswick New Jersey
Shampoo $1.03 $1.06
Movie $12.59 $10.68
Bowling $17.73 $14.67
Haircut $20.73 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.4 $39.05

Detailed New Brunswick Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item New Brunswick New Jersey
Ground Beef $3.87 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.39
Milk $2.41 $2.05
Potatoes $3.09 $3.29
Pizza $11.4 $10.62
Beer $9.19 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.16 $2.34

Detailed New Brunswick Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item New Brunswick New Jersey
Optometrist $101.33 $108.57
Doctor $94.5 $116.17
Dentist $113.15 $99.13

Detailed New Brunswick Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item New Brunswick New Jersey
Gasoline $2.26 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.66 $50.07

Detailed New Brunswick Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item New Brunswick New Jersey
All Electricity $174.26 $167.67
Phone $179.87 $175.64

New Brunswick SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around New Brunswick

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

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 170, 1.5x New Brunswick.

  • Somerset, NJ has a cost of living index of 123, 1.1x New Brunswick.

  • Colonia, NJ has a cost of living index of 127, 1.1x New Brunswick.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. New Brunswick
Westfield, NJ 30,950 170 1.5x
Somerset, NJ 24,827 123 1.1x
Colonia, NJ 18,776 127 1.1x
South River, NJ 16,087 119 1.0x
Highland Park, NJ 14,947 128 1.1x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,798 144 1.2x
Middlesex, NJ 14,513 123 1.1x
New Providence, NJ 13,570 154 1.3x
Martinsville, NJ 11,980 155 1.3x
East Franklin, NJ 8,375 117 1.0x

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