New Jersey vs Pennsylvania: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $643 more a month in Pennsylvania than in New Jersey after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 30% lower in Pennsylvania.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $4,916 | $4,941 | +$25 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,800 | $1,252 | −$548 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $163 | $178 | +$15 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $154 | $164 | +$10 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $257 | $162 | −$95 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $1,885 | $2,527 | +$643 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, Pennsylvania leaves about $643 more a month ($7,712 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in Pennsylvania equals $75,000 in New Jersey?
About $63,900 a year. At that salary a single filer in Pennsylvania keeps the same $1,885 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in New Jersey (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between New Jersey and Pennsylvania?
New Jersey has income tax from 1.4% to 10.75% and Pennsylvania has a flat 3.07% income tax (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $4,916 a month in New Jersey and $4,941 in Pennsylvania.
How much is rent in New Jersey vs Pennsylvania?
The median rent is $1,800 a month in New Jersey and $1,252 in Pennsylvania (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for New Jersey or Pennsylvania, and the take-home pay calculators for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.