Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Atlantic City, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Atlantic City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Wilkes-Barre, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,155 / month
Atlantic City, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $1,620 / 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA and Atlantic City, 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $265/month in Atlantic City, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,182 in Atlantic City, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Wilkes-Barre, PA uses Philadelphia, PA. Atlantic City, NJ uses Philadelphia, PA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$265

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$3.2K

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.

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Population:44K

Cost Index:

87.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$179K

Atlantic City, NJ

Population:38K

Cost Index:

91.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$216K

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Wilkes-Barre, PA

The Keystone State

44K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 44K residents.

Atlantic City, NJ

The Garden State

38K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 38K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Atlantic City, 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	Wilkes-Barre, PA	Atlantic City, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,011/mo	$2,096/mo	↑ $84.81more	4.2%
Other	$1,714/mo	$1,786/mo	↑ $72.30more	4.2%
Transportation	$1,372/mo	$1,430/mo	↑ $57.88more	4.2%
Groceries	$1,145/mo	$1,169/mo	↑ $23.89more	2.1%
Healthcare	$629/mo	$643/mo	↑ $13.14more	2.1%
All Utilities	$629/mo	$642/mo	↑ $13.12more	2.1%

Housing

↑ 4.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$2,011

Atlantic City, NJ

$2,096

Difference

$84.81

Other

↑ 4.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,714

Atlantic City, NJ

$1,786

Difference

$72.30

Transportation

↑ 4.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,372

Atlantic City, NJ

$1,430

Difference

$57.88

Groceries

↑ 2.1%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$1,145

Atlantic City, NJ

$1,169

Difference

$23.89

Healthcare

↑ 2.1%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$629

Atlantic City, NJ

$643

Difference

$13.14

All Utilities

↑ 2.1%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$629

Atlantic City, NJ

$642

Difference

$13.12

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Wilkes-Barre, PA: Wilkes-Barre Earned Income Tax$4,500/yr (3.0%)

Atlantic City, NJ has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$795

To$1,170

↑ $375

1 Bed

From$950

To$1,330

↑ $380

2 Bed

From$1,155

To$1,620

↑ $465

3 Bed

From$1,505

To$2,240

↑ $735

Wilkes-Barre, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,010/mo

Atlantic City, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,330–$1,330/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 Wilkes-Barre, PA

$7,765

Monthly in Atlantic City, NJ

$265

Difference

Home Values

Wilkes-Barre

Atlantic City

$179K

Median Value

$216K

↑ +7.2%

YoY Change

↑ +0.5%

↑ +67.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +67.3%

$179K - $180K

Price Range

$216K

Homes in Atlantic City are 21% more expensive than Wilkes-Barre

Calculate payment - Wilkes-Barre Calculate payment - Atlantic City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.8K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$235

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.9%

Rate difference

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Atlantic City, 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

Wilkes-Barre, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Atlantic City, 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

Wilkes-Barre

Atlantic City

52 Moderate

Air Quality

52 Moderate

47.3%

Good Air Days

47.3%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Atlantic City, NJ

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Atlantic City, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wilkes-Barre, PA. 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 Wilkes-Barre to Atlantic City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Wilkes-Barre, PA vs Atlantic City, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Wilkes-Barre, PA and Atlantic City, NJ compare?

Atlantic City, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Wilkes-Barre, PA. 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA, the model estimates $153,182 in Atlantic City, 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA and Atlantic City, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,155/month in Wilkes-Barre, PA and $1,620/month in Atlantic City, 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 Pennsylvania and New Jersey on TaxTakeHome.com