Boston, MA vs Jersey City, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Jersey City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 12.8% higher than Boston, MA.

Boston, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,865 / month
Jersey City, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,625 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Boston, MA and Jersey City, NJ using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Boston, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,483/month in Jersey City, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $167,798 in Jersey City, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Boston, MA uses Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Area. Jersey City, NJ uses New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 12.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,483

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$17.8K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Boston, MA

Population:685K

Cost Index:

149.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$961K

Jersey City, NJ

Population:292K

Cost Index:

168.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$637K

Planning the move to Jersey City?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Boston, MA

The Bay State

685K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Continental

Notable Facts

•Major education center
•Biotech capital
•Historic American city

Major Industries

EducationHealthcareTechnologyFinance

Jersey City, NJ

The Garden State

292K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 292K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Boston, MA vs Jersey City, NJ

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Boston, MA	Jersey City, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,450/mo	$5,001/mo	↑ $1,552more	45.0%
Transportation	$1,197/mo	$1,048/mo	↓ $149less	12.5%
Other	$1,193/mo	$1,330/mo	↑ $137more	11.5%
All Utilities	$468/mo	$392/mo	↓ $75.75less	16.2%
Groceries	$706/mo	$762/mo	↑ $56.20more	8.0%
Healthcare	$486/mo	$450/mo	↓ $36.46less	7.5%

Housing

↑ 45.0%

Boston, MA

$3,450

Jersey City, NJ

$5,001

Difference

$1,552

Transportation

↓ 12.5%

Boston, MA

$1,197

Jersey City, NJ

$1,048

Difference

$149

less

Other

↑ 11.5%

Boston, MA

$1,193

Jersey City, NJ

$1,330

Difference

$137

All Utilities

↓ 16.2%

Boston, MA

$468

Jersey City, NJ

$392

Difference

$75.75

less

Groceries

↑ 8.0%

Boston, MA

$706

Jersey City, NJ

$762

Difference

$56.20

Healthcare

↓ 7.5%

Boston, MA

$486

Jersey City, NJ

$450

Difference

$36.46

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$3,095

To$2,285

↓ $810

1 Bed

From$3,255

To$2,335

↓ $920

2 Bed

From$3,865

To$2,625

↓ $1,240

3 Bed

From$4,630

To$3,195

↓ $1,435

Boston, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,560–$3,710/mo

Jersey City, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,080–$3,680/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Boston, MA

$8,983

Monthly in Jersey City, NJ

$1,483

Difference

Home Values

Boston

Jersey City

$961K

Median Value

$637K

↓ -0.7%

YoY Change

↓ -0.8%

↑ +7%

5-Year Change

↑ +14.6%

$709K - $3.40M

Price Range

$525K - $1.16M

Homes in Jersey City are 34% less expensive than Boston

Calculate payment - Boston Calculate payment - Jersey City

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $69.50

Per year

Monthly Difference

$5.79

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Boston, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Jersey City, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Boston, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Jersey City, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Boston, MA

32/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Jersey City, NJ: No data yet

Environment

Boston

Jersey City

36 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

71.3%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Boston, MA to Jersey City, NJ

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Jersey City, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Boston, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Boston to Jersey City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Jersey City, NJ by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Boston, MA vs Jersey City, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Boston, MA and Jersey City, NJ compare?

Jersey City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 12.8% higher than Boston, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Boston, MA, the model estimates $167,798 in Jersey City, NJ. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Boston, MA and Jersey City, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,865/month in Boston, MA and $2,625/month in Jersey City, NJ. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and New Jersey on TaxTakeHome.com