New Brunswick, NJ vs East Orange, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

East Orange, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than New Brunswick, NJ.

New Brunswick, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,380 / month
East Orange, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,025 / 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 New Brunswick, NJ and East Orange, 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 New Brunswick, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $31.56/month in East Orange, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,379 in East Orange, NJ

Regional cost estimates: New Brunswick, NJ uses Newark, NJ. East Orange, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$31.56

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$379

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.

New Brunswick, NJ

Population:56K

Cost Index:

104.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$438K

East Orange, NJ

Population:70K

Cost Index:

104.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$471K

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New Brunswick, NJ

The Garden State

56K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 56K residents.

East Orange, NJ

The Garden State

70K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 70K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: New Brunswick, NJ vs East Orange, 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	New Brunswick, NJ	East Orange, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,887/mo	$1,896/mo	↑ $9.35more	0.5%
Other	$1,879/mo	$1,888/mo	↑ $9.30more	0.5%
Transportation	$1,482/mo	$1,490/mo	↑ $7.34more	0.5%
Groceries	$1,039/mo	$1,042/mo	↑ $2.57more	0.2%
Healthcare	$650/mo	$652/mo	↑ $1.61more	0.2%
All Utilities	$563/mo	$564/mo	↑ $1.39more	0.2%

Housing

↑ 0.5%

New Brunswick, NJ

$1,887

East Orange, NJ

$1,896

Difference

$9.35

Other

↑ 0.5%

New Brunswick, NJ

$1,879

East Orange, NJ

$1,888

Difference

$9.30

Transportation

↑ 0.5%

New Brunswick, NJ

$1,482

East Orange, NJ

$1,490

Difference

$7.34

Groceries

↑ 0.2%

New Brunswick, NJ

$1,039

East Orange, NJ

$1,042

Difference

$2.57

Healthcare

↑ 0.2%

New Brunswick, NJ

$650

East Orange, NJ

$652

Difference

$1.61

All Utilities

↑ 0.2%

New Brunswick, NJ

$563

East Orange, NJ

$564

Difference

$1.39

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,730

To$1,480

↓ $250

1 Bed

From$1,890

To$1,675

↓ $215

2 Bed

From$2,380

To$2,025

↓ $355

3 Bed

From$2,850

To$2,535

↓ $315

New Brunswick, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,890–$1,890/mo

East Orange, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$1,720/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 New Brunswick, NJ

$7,532

Monthly in East Orange, NJ

$31.56

Difference

Home Values

New Brunswick

East Orange

$438K

Median Value

$471K

↑ +0.2%

YoY Change

↑ +0.1%

↑ +35.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +45.5%

$438K

Price Range

$460K - $481K

Homes in East Orange are 7% more expensive than New Brunswick

Calculate payment - New Brunswick Calculate payment - East Orange

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

New Brunswick, 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

East Orange, 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

New Brunswick, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

East Orange, 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

New Brunswick

East Orange

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

Before moving from New Brunswick, NJ to East Orange, NJ

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in East Orange, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in New Brunswick, 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 New Brunswick to East Orange moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: New Brunswick, NJ vs East Orange, NJ

How do the cost estimates for New Brunswick, NJ and East Orange, NJ compare?

East Orange, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than New Brunswick, 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 New Brunswick, NJ, the model estimates $150,379 in East Orange, 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 New Brunswick, NJ and East Orange, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,380/month in New Brunswick, NJ and $2,025/month in East Orange, 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.