City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Melbourne | Paterson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,303/mo | $1,392/mo | 6.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $247,300 | $314,100 | 21.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $60,917 | $52,092 | 16.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.0 | 107.5 | 9.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 90.1 | 118.7 | 24.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.4 | 102.9 | 3.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.6 | 105.5 | 7.4% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Melbourne, you'd need $117,344 in Paterson to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Melbourne, FL is about 14.8% cheaper overall than Paterson, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 20% lower in Melbourne than in Paterson. If you earn $80,000 in Melbourne, you'd need about $93,876 in Paterson to keep the same standard of living.