New Haven, CT vs Trenton, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Trenton, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 24.7% lower than New Haven, CT.

New Haven, CT · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / month
Trenton, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $1,830 / 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 Haven, CT and Trenton, 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 Haven, CT

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $2,112/month in Trenton, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $124,661 in Trenton, NJ

Regional cost estimates: New Haven, CT uses New York, NY. Trenton, NJ uses Philadelphia, PA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 24.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,112

Savings

Annual Impact

$25.3K

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 Haven, CT

Population:135K

Cost Index:

126.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$353K

Trenton, NJ

Population:90K

Cost Index:

94.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$286K

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New Haven, CT

The Constitution State

135K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Connecticut, this city has a population of 135K residents.

Trenton, NJ

The Garden State

90K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 90K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: New Haven, CT vs Trenton, 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 Haven, CT	Trenton, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,866/mo	$1,462/mo	↓ $2,404less	62.2%
Other	$1,142/mo	$1,247/mo	↑ $104more	9.1%
Transportation	$900/mo	$998/mo	↑ $97.97more	10.9%
All Utilities	$389/mo	$440/mo	↑ $50.81more	13.1%
Groceries	$756/mo	$801/mo	↑ $45.22more	6.0%
Healthcare	$446/mo	$441/mo	↓ $5.64less	1.3%

Housing

↓ 62.2%

New Haven, CT

$3,866

Trenton, NJ

$1,462

Difference

$2,404

less

Other

↑ 9.1%

New Haven, CT

$1,142

Trenton, NJ

$1,247

Difference

$104

Transportation

↑ 10.9%

New Haven, CT

$900

Trenton, NJ

$998

Difference

$97.97

All Utilities

↑ 13.1%

New Haven, CT

$389

Trenton, NJ

$440

Difference

$50.81

Groceries

↑ 6.0%

New Haven, CT

$756

Trenton, NJ

$801

Difference

$45.22

Healthcare

↓ 1.3%

New Haven, CT

$446

Trenton, NJ

$441

Difference

$5.64

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,420

To$1,260

↓ $160

1 Bed

From$1,650

To$1,450

↓ $200

2 Bed

From$2,040

To$1,830

↓ $210

3 Bed

From$2,520

To$2,200

↓ $320

New Haven, CTZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,520–$2,100/mo

Trenton, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,450–$1,540/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 Haven, CT

$5,388

Monthly in Trenton, NJ

$2,112

Difference

Home Values

New Haven

Trenton

$353K

Median Value

$286K

↑ +3.5%

YoY Change

↓ -1.9%

↑ +43.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +54.9%

$286K - $385K

Price Range

$267K - $305K

Homes in Trenton are 19% less expensive than New Haven

Calculate payment - New Haven Calculate payment - Trenton

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $620

Per year

Monthly Difference

$51.63

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.4%

Rate difference

New Haven, CT

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Connecticut State Tax

Effective: 5.4%

$8.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$45.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,745/month

$104.9K

Trenton, 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 Haven, CT Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:2.1%

Trenton, 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 Haven

Trenton

43 Good

Air Quality

52 Moderate

65.8%

Good Air Days

47.3%

99 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌀🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

11 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

11 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from New Haven, CT to Trenton, NJ

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: New Haven, CT vs Trenton, NJ

How do the cost estimates for New Haven, CT and Trenton, NJ compare?

Trenton, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 24.7% lower than New Haven, CT. 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 Haven, CT, the model estimates $124,661 in Trenton, 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 Haven, CT and Trenton, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,040/month in New Haven, CT and $1,830/month in Trenton, 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 Connecticut and New Jersey on TaxTakeHome.com