F
29%
Overall NAT. AVG.
11%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
78%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Iselin New Jersey National
Cost of living129121100
Goods & Services111106100
Groceries103102100
Health care10299100
Housing178158100
Transportation105103100
Utilities108107100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Iselin, NJ

Knowing the cost of living in Iselin allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Iselin stands at 129, marking it 29% higher than the national average.

If you prioritize affordability when seeking a new place to live, Iselin may not be your ideal choice, as it ranks among the most expensive locations in the entire United States. A very small amount of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Iselin falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Iselin, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 77.6% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Recurring goods and services expenses like haircuts, toothpaste, gym memberships and movie nights are a big part of your spending and make up 33% of the cost of living index. In Iselin, these items will cost you 11.3% more than what most folks pay, making it a bit more expensive to live here.

Is Iselin Affordable?

Is Iselin affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Iselin, for instance, where the median home price falls 71.3% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 92.4% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Iselin flaunting a median household income of $101,386, 83.3% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Iselin?

Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In Iselin, healthcare costs are 1.9% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Iselin, the groceries index is 2.5% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Iselin cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Iselin is 7% higher than the New Jersey average
  • The cost of living in Iselin is 29% higher than the national average
  • Iselin housing is 78% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey general sales tax is 30% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey state income tax is 38% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Iselin

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Compare Iselin, NJ Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$107,672$8,973$2,512$3,230
      Renters$94,669$7,889$2,209$2,840
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Iselin, NJ, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Iselin, the median monthly income is $107,672 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,512 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $94,669, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $2,209 on monthly rental expenses.

      New Jersey Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New Jersey 6.625% 12.625%

      New Jersey Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New Jersey 1.4% 10.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      Haircut $30.25$24.2624.7%
      Beauty Salon $53.00$45.5616.3%
      Toothpaste $3.75$3.701.3%
      Shampoo $1.53$1.2819.8%
      Movie $14.53$12.1319.7%
      Bowling $20.98$18.0016.6%

      Groceries

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.13$5.845.0%
      Fried Chicken $1.41$1.5710.4%
      Milk $4.70$4.670.5%
      Potatoes $5.32$4.937.8%
      Pizza $12.59$12.094.2%
      Beer $11.12$10.416.8%

      Health Care

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $129.93$125.683.4%
      Doctor $124.10$135.788.6%
      Dentist $129.94$113.2914.7%
      Ibuprofen $11.14$10.654.6%
      Lipitor $440.70$468.606.0%

      Housing

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      Home Price $316,300.00$184,700.0071.3%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,956.12$2,346.6926.0%
      Apartment Rent $1,826.00$949.0092.4%

      Transportation

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.41$3.461.4%
      Tire Balancing $72.38$59.9220.8%

      Utilities

      Item Iselin National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $223.08$193.9915.0%
      Phone $186.61$192.252.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Zarephath, NJ941087.8%
      Keansburg, NJ9,69711010.4%
      East Orange, NJ64,65011111.1%
      Roselle, NJ21,69911212.0%
      Silver Lake CDP (Warren County), NJ32011313.2%
      Iselin, NJ17,35612928.8%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Hinsdale, IL17,36619090.3%
      Oswego, NY17,3719010.0%
      L'Ancienne-Lorette, QC17,373n/a 
      Nederland, TX17,334963.9%
      Estelle, LA17,330982.3%
      Iselin, NJ17,35612928.8%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.