Essex Fells, NJ vs Sea Bright, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Sea Bright, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 48.3% higher than Essex Fells, NJ.

Essex Fells, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,850 / month
Sea Bright, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,730 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Essex Fells, NJ and Sea Bright, 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 Essex Fells, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $4,016/month in Sea Bright, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $198,187 in Sea Bright, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Essex Fells, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Sea Bright, NJ uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 48.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$4,016

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$48.2K

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.

Essex Fells, NJ

Population:2K

Cost Index:

96.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.40M

Sea Bright, NJ

Population:1K

Cost Index:

142.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.72M

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Essex Fells, NJ

The Garden State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Sea Bright, NJ

The Garden State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Essex Fells, NJ vs Sea Bright, 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	Essex Fells, NJ	Sea Bright, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,865/mo	$6,014/mo	↑ $4,149more	222.4%
Other	$1,857/mo	$1,777/mo	↓ $79.77less	4.3%
Transportation	$1,465/mo	$1,400/mo	↓ $65.13less	4.4%
Groceries	$1,067/mo	$1,104/mo	↑ $37.18more	3.5%
Healthcare	$668/mo	$652/mo	↓ $15.84less	2.4%
All Utilities	$578/mo	$569/mo	↓ $9.58less	1.7%

Housing

↑ 222.4%

Essex Fells, NJ

$1,865

Sea Bright, NJ

$6,014

Difference

$4,149

Other

↓ 4.3%

Essex Fells, NJ

$1,857

Sea Bright, NJ

$1,777

Difference

$79.77

less

Transportation

↓ 4.4%

Essex Fells, NJ

$1,465

Sea Bright, NJ

$1,400

Difference

$65.13

less

Groceries

↑ 3.5%

Essex Fells, NJ

$1,067

Sea Bright, NJ

$1,104

Difference

$37.18

Healthcare

↓ 2.4%

Essex Fells, NJ

$668

Sea Bright, NJ

$652

Difference

$15.84

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.7%

Essex Fells, NJ

$578

Sea Bright, NJ

$569

Difference

$9.58

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,080

To$1,970

↓ $110

1 Bed

From$2,360

To$2,220

↓ $140

2 Bed

From$2,850

To$2,730

↓ $120

3 Bed

From$3,570

To$3,570

→ $0

Essex Fells, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,360–$2,360/mo

Sea Bright, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,220–$2,220/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 Essex Fells, NJ

$11,516

Monthly in Sea Bright, NJ

$4,016

Difference

Home Values

Essex Fells

Sea Bright

$1.40M

Median Value

$1.72M

↑ +9%

YoY Change

↑ +4.9%

↑ +53.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +54.5%

Homes in Sea Bright are 22% more expensive than Essex Fells

Calculate payment - Essex Fells Calculate payment - Sea Bright

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Essex Fells, 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

Sea Bright, 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

Essex Fells, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

Sea Bright, 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.

Environment

Essex Fells

Sea Bright

N/A

Air Quality

43 Good

Good Air Days

65.8%

98 High

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Essex Fells, NJ to Sea Bright, NJ

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Sea Bright, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Essex Fells, NJ. 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 Essex Fells to Sea Bright moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Essex Fells, NJ vs Sea Bright, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Essex Fells, NJ and Sea Bright, NJ compare?

Sea Bright, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 48.3% higher than Essex Fells, NJ. 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 Essex Fells, NJ, the model estimates $198,187 in Sea Bright, 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 Essex Fells, NJ and Sea Bright, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,850/month in Essex Fells, NJ and $2,730/month in Sea Bright, 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.