Ocean City, New Jersey
Living in Ocean City, New Jersey is about 30% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 130 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,983 a month, 3% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.03 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 37% of the area's $102,455 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.03
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,983
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$16.99
Combo meal
Electricity
24.61¢
per kWh · ~$221/mo
Car Insurance
$169/mo
$2,025/yr
Median Household Income
$102,455
37.2% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,025 in Ocean City. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,983/mo in Ocean City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$16.99
Casual Dining
$30.18
Monthly Spend
$511.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Ocean City?
Average 1BR: $1,626/mo · 2BR: $2,340/mo
Ocean City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Ocean City, NJ expensive to live in?
Ocean City has a cost of living index of 130, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 30% more expensive than average. It is the most expensive of the 5 New Jersey cities we track.
What is the average rent in Ocean City, NJ?
Typical rent in Ocean City is $1,983 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 3% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,626 and two bedrooms about $2,340. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Ocean City?
Rent in Ocean City rose 5.8% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Ocean City?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.03 a gallon in Ocean City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for New Jersey. That is 1% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Ocean City?
Homes in New Jersey pay an average of 24.6 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Ocean City is about $222.
How much is car insurance in Ocean City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,025 a year in New Jersey, or about $169 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Ocean City?
Median household income in the Ocean City area is $102,455 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $38,064 a year, or 37% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,165 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Ocean City compare with the rest of New Jersey?
Rent in Ocean City is 16% below the $2,350 average across the 5 New Jersey cities we track, and its cost of living index of 130 compares with a state average of 127.
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