Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $39,310 in Bergen County, NJ, or $10,690 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Bergen County, NJ: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Bergen County, NJ is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Bergen County, NJ is estimated to save $17,481 per year.
Cheaper County
Bergen County, NJSave about $17,481 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $39,310 in Bergen County, NJ.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $815 per year. Housing saves $7,735 per year.
Housing: $7,735 lower in Bergen County, NJ
Taxes: $7,067 lower in Bergen County, NJ
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $815 higher in Bergen County, NJ
Food: $231 lower in Bergen County, NJ
Transport: $791 lower in Bergen County, NJ
Suffolk County, MA→Bergen County, NJ
Equivalent salary in Bergen County, NJ
$39,310
-21.38% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Bergen County, NJ: $150,475
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Bergen County, NJ 42.72%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Bergen County, NJ.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, MA to Bergen County, NJ is estimated to save $17,481 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $39,310 in Bergen County, NJ. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -21.38% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $7,735 per year lower (-27.7%); Taxes is $7,067 per year lower (-34.72%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, MA and Bergen County, NJ, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 74.2% of median family income in Suffolk County, MA and 42.7% in Bergen County, NJ. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $7,735 per year lower in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Bergen County, NJ changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $231 per year lower in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Bergen County, NJ can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $791 per year lower in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Bergen County, NJ.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $815 per year higher in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Bergen County, NJ changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,473 per year lower in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Bergen County, NJ help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, MA and Bergen County, NJ, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Bergen County, NJ, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $7,067 per year lower in Bergen County, NJ than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Bergen County, NJ matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Bergen County, NJ.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Bergen County, NJ
Annual Increase:
$815 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Bergen County, NJ.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Bergen County, NJ
Annual Savings:
$7,735 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Bergen County, NJ.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -28% lower | |
| Food | -5% lower | |
| Transport | -6% lower | |
| Healthcare | 16% higher | |
| Other Costs | -24% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -35% lower |
In Bergen County, NJ, modeled annual costs are $64,284 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Bergen County, NJ. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Bergen County, NJ and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
