Fort Lee, NJ vs Kearny, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Kearny, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 13.7% lower than Fort Lee, NJ.

Fort Lee, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $3,310 / month
Kearny, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,575 / 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 Fort Lee, NJ and Kearny, 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 Fort Lee, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,053/month in Kearny, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,358 in Kearny, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Fort Lee, NJ uses Jersey City, NJ. Kearny, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 13.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,053

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.6K

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.

Fort Lee, NJ

Population:40K

Cost Index:

119.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$576K

Kearny, NJ

Population:39K

Cost Index:

103.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$572K

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Fort Lee, NJ

The Garden State

40K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 40K residents.

Kearny, NJ

The Garden State

39K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 39K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fort Lee, NJ vs Kearny, 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	Fort Lee, NJ	Kearny, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,667/mo	$1,620/mo	↓ $1,047less	39.3%
Other	$1,615/mo	$1,613/mo	↓ $2.63less	0.2%
Transportation	$1,275/mo	$1,273/mo	↓ $2.07less	0.2%
Groceries	$896/mo	$896/mo	↓ $0.73less	0.1%
Healthcare	$561/mo	$560/mo	↓ $0.46less	0.1%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$485/mo	↓ $0.39less	0.1%

Housing

↓ 39.3%

Fort Lee, NJ

$2,667

Kearny, NJ

$1,620

Difference

$1,047

less

Other

↓ 0.2%

Fort Lee, NJ

$1,615

Kearny, NJ

$1,613

Difference

$2.63

less

Transportation

↓ 0.2%

Fort Lee, NJ

$1,275

Kearny, NJ

$1,273

Difference

$2.07

less

Groceries

↓ 0.1%

Fort Lee, NJ

$896

Kearny, NJ

$896

Difference

$0.73

less

Healthcare

↓ 0.1%

Fort Lee, NJ

$561

Kearny, NJ

$560

Difference

$0.46

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.1%

Fort Lee, NJ

$486

Kearny, NJ

$485

Difference

$0.39

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,530

To$2,245

↓ $285

1 Bed

From$2,880

To$2,290

↓ $590

2 Bed

From$3,310

To$2,575

↓ $735

3 Bed

From$4,040

To$3,140

↓ $900

Fort Lee, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,880–$2,880/mo

Kearny, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,230–$2,350/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 Fort Lee, NJ

$6,447

Monthly in Kearny, NJ

$1,053

Difference

Home Values

Fort Lee

Kearny

$576K

Median Value

$572K

↑ +3.6%

YoY Change

↑ +3.2%

↑ +30%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.2%

$576K

Price Range

$571K - $572K

Homes in Kearny are 1% less expensive than Fort Lee

Calculate payment - Fort Lee Calculate payment - Kearny

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

Fort Lee, 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

Kearny, 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

Fort Lee, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

Kearny, 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

Fort Lee

Kearny

41 Good

Air Quality

N/A

71.3%

Good Air Days

97 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌅🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

12 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

12 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

Before moving from Fort Lee, NJ to Kearny, NJ

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Kearny, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fort Lee, 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 Fort Lee to Kearny moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Fort Lee, NJ vs Kearny, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Fort Lee, NJ and Kearny, NJ compare?

Kearny, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 13.7% lower than Fort Lee, 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 Fort Lee, NJ, the model estimates $137,358 in Kearny, 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 Fort Lee, NJ and Kearny, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,310/month in Fort Lee, NJ and $2,575/month in Kearny, 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.