Roselle, NJ vs Saco, ME: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Saco, ME has a modeled overall cost index 7.6% higher than Roselle, NJ.

Roselle, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / month
Saco, ME · modeled 2BR rent: $1,960 / 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 Roselle, NJ and Saco, ME 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 Roselle, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $692/month in Saco, ME

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $158,299 in Saco, ME

Regional cost estimates: Roselle, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Saco, ME uses Boston, MA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$692

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$8.3K

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.

Roselle, NJ

Population:22K

Cost Index:

101.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$502K

Saco, ME

Population:21K

Cost Index:

109.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$506K

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Roselle, NJ

The Garden State

22K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 22K residents.

Saco, ME

The Pine Tree State

21K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Maine, this city has a population of 21K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Roselle, NJ vs Saco, ME

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	Roselle, NJ	Saco, ME	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,881/mo	$3,423/mo	↑ $1,541more	81.9%
Other	$1,873/mo	$1,315/mo	↓ $557less	29.8%
Transportation	$1,478/mo	$1,319/mo	↓ $158less	10.7%
Groceries	$1,047/mo	$907/mo	↓ $139less	13.3%
All Utilities	$567/mo	$602/mo	↑ $34.73more	6.1%
Healthcare	$655/mo	$625/mo	↓ $29.73less	4.5%

Housing

↑ 81.9%

Roselle, NJ

$1,881

Saco, ME

$3,423

Difference

$1,541

Other

↓ 29.8%

Roselle, NJ

$1,873

Saco, ME

$1,315

Difference

$557

less

Transportation

↓ 10.7%

Roselle, NJ

$1,478

Saco, ME

$1,319

Difference

$158

less

Groceries

↓ 13.3%

Roselle, NJ

$1,047

Saco, ME

$907

Difference

$139

less

All Utilities

↑ 6.1%

Roselle, NJ

$567

Saco, ME

$602

Difference

$34.73

Healthcare

↓ 4.5%

Roselle, NJ

$655

Saco, ME

$625

Difference

$29.73

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,490

To$1,460

↓ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,690

To$1,610

↓ $80.00

2 Bed

From$2,040

To$1,960

↓ $80.00

3 Bed

From$2,550

To$2,620

↑ $70.00

Roselle, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,690–$1,690/mo

Saco, MEZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,610–$1,610/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 Roselle, NJ

$8,192

Monthly in Saco, ME

$692

Difference

Home Values

Roselle

Saco

$502K

Median Value

$506K

↑ +3.4%

YoY Change

↑ +1.9%

↑ +56.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.8%

Homes in Saco are 1% more expensive than Roselle

Calculate payment - Roselle Calculate payment - Saco

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$238

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.9%

Rate difference

Roselle, 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

Saco, ME

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Maine State Tax

Effective: 6.9%

$10.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.5%

$47.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,558/month

$102.7K

Additional Tax Information

Roselle, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

Saco, ME Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.5%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Roselle

Saco

N/A

Air Quality

36 Good

Good Air Days

79.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from Roselle, NJ to Saco, ME

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Saco, ME for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Roselle, 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 Roselle to Saco moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Roselle, NJ vs Saco, ME

How do the cost estimates for Roselle, NJ and Saco, ME compare?

Saco, ME has a modeled overall cost index 7.6% higher than Roselle, 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 Roselle, NJ, the model estimates $158,299 in Saco, ME. 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 Roselle, NJ and Saco, ME?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,040/month in Roselle, NJ and $1,960/month in Saco, ME. 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 New Jersey and Maine on TaxTakeHome.com