Three years ago, no French tech founder would have considered New Jersey for their US team.
Today, we are placing more assignees in Hoboken, Jersey City, and Montclair than ever before.

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Here's why the shift is happening and what it means for your relocation budget 👇

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📊 Quick Comparison

AVG. 1BR RENT (HOBOKEN)
💰 $3,500 / month

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VS. MANHATTAN EQUIVALENT
💰 $4,800 / month

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COMMUTE TO MIDTOWN
🚆 12–18 min

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SCHOOLS (IB PROGRAMS)
🎓 Strong public + private

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💰 The budget reality

The savings are immediate and significant. A two-bedroom apartment in Hoboken runs $3,500–$4,200/month. The equivalent in Tribeca or the Upper West Side? $6,500–$8,000.

Over a 12-month assignment, that is up to $48,000 in housing costs alone, enough to fund an entire additional relocation.

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🚆 Getting to work is not a compromise

The PATH train from Hoboken to Midtown takes 12 to 18 minutes and runs 24/7.

Many of our assignees tell us the commute is actually shorter than when they lived in Brooklyn.

No overcrowded L train, no platform anxiety, just a quiet, reliable ride.

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🎓 Schools that ease the transition

This is the one that surprises HR managers the most.

Towns like Montclair, Summit, and Maplewood have public school systems that rank among the best in the Northeast. Several offer IB programs, a genuine lifeline for children coming from the other systems.

Private options are also strong and significantly cheaper than Manhattan equivalents.

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🌍 An expat community that already exists

NJ is not a cultural desert.

Montclair and Summit have established expat communities, regular expat events, and immersion programs.

Many of our clients who were reluctant to leave Manhattan end up becoming the ones who recommend NJ to the next arrival.

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💼 The tax conversation no one has

New Jersey has a state income tax, but here is what matters: New York City charges its own city income tax on top of NY state tax, something NJ residents do not pay.

For an assignee earning $200k+, this difference can represent $8,000–$12,000 per year in take-home pay.

That changes the conversation entirely.

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🌳 The lifestyle shift

The neighborhood feel, the markets, the parks, the pace are amazing.

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⚡ URGENT - Book temporary housing now

FIFA World Cup 2026 is coming to the NY/NJ metro area and the temporary housing market is already feeling it.

As we shared in our previous newsletter, furnished apartment prices in some US cities, inventory is being absorbed by FIFA-related bookings months in advance.

We are already seeing rates 25–40% above normal for summer 2026 arrivals.

If your assignee is arriving between May and September 2026: do not wait.

Secure temporary housing now, even if the start date is not confirmed. The cost of waiting is higher than the cost of booking early.

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📩 Contact us now:
relocations@expatus.com

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We have access to pre-negotiated rates through our network.