Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in El Paso, TX versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 8% higher in El Paso, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

El Paso, TX
Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio
$707
$786
+11% in Paterson, NJ
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,183
+45% in Paterson, NJ
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,468
+48% in Paterson, NJ
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,729
+38% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$335,400
+95% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$53,766
+8% in El Paso, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$61,430
+55% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
33.3 yr
+0.8 yr in El Paso, TX
Homeownership
60.2%
26.2%
+34.0 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
12.5%
+15.0 pp in El Paso, TX
Avg Commute
23.7 min
23.1 min
+0.6 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
1,010.1
+216% in Paterson, NJ
Property Crime
1,509.3
2,391.4
+58% in Paterson, NJ

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.6°F
52.2°F
+12.4°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
49.0 in
+39.3 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in Paterson, NJ

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50
—

Adult base one-way fare — Sun Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
24.9
+57% in Paterson, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$17.68
+45% in El Paso, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Paterson, NJ
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Paterson, NJ
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in El Paso, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Paterson, NJ
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Paterson, NJ
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Paterson, NJ

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NJ)
6.25%
6.625%
+0.4 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.75%
+10.8 pp in NJ

El Paso vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Paterson?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Paterson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Paterson?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).