Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and West Lafayette, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,355 in West Lafayette, IN, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in West Lafayette, IN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in West Lafayette, IN
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West Lafayette, IN Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

West Lafayette, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,355

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in West Lafayette, IN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in West Lafayette, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,355 in West Lafayette, IN.

Calgary $2,232
West Lafayette, IN $2,355

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $3,398 in West Lafayette, IN.

Calgary $3,363
West Lafayette, IN $3,398

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $4,442 in West Lafayette, IN.

Calgary $4,493
West Lafayette, IN $4,442

Living in Calgary costs roughly 5% less than in West Lafayette, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, West Lafayette, IN 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.55

$12.05 $12.05

42.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$102

$65.2 $65.2

9.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$6.61 $6.61

59.76%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$4.56 $4.56

-17.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.73

$1.85 $1.85

3.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$1.55 $1.55

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.94

$5.27 $5.27

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$3.53 $3.53

57.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$0.63 $0.63

198.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$3.30 $3.30

-17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.62

$1.93 $1.93

176.68%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$3.77 $3.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.10

$21.69 $21.69

-47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$5.83 $5.83

96.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.04

$27.50 $27.50

-33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$4.47 $4.47

3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$1.27 $1.27

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$3.26 $3.26

29.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$4.92 $4.92

-21.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$3.25 $3.25

-19.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$3.24 $3.24

-17.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$1.97 $1.97

31.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$2.30 $2.30

-33.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.33

$12.06 $12.06

18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.77

$11.09 $11.09

37.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$1.77 $1.77

36.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$5.14 $5.14

-39.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$0.98 $0.98

193.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

$28.45 $28.45

211.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$5.60 $5.60

-42.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$0.96 $0.96

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.77

$17.84 $17.84

48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$0.92 $0.92

28.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$36.6K $36.6K

-22.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.7K CA$29.6K

$27.0K $27.0K

-23.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$159 CA$227

$164 $164

-2.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.61 CA$53.6

$53.1 $53.1

-29.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$64.6 $64.6

-23.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$29.75 $29.75

78.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.11

$12.40 $12.40

47.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.07

$13.70 $13.70

2.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$809 CA$1,154

$998 $998

-18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$74.7 $74.7

-21.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$42.64 $42.64

-8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$66.6 $66.6

37.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$89.8 $89.8

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$1,377 $1,377

-10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$1,266 $1,266

-21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,721

$2,354 $2,354

-18.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,383

$1,937 $1,937

-13.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,034

$1,746 $1,746

102.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,757

$1,806 $1,806

84.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,463

$8,733 $8,733

-64.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.49

-30.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for West Lafayette, IN: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

West Lafayette, IN

$1.3K 53% 27.1% $270

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

West Lafayette, IN

$400 16.7% 3.2% $12

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

West Lafayette, IN

$218 9.1% 17.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

West Lafayette, IN

$281 11.8% 14.1% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

West Lafayette, IN

$123 5.2% 8.2% $11

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

West Lafayette, IN

$43 1.8% 61.3% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

West Lafayette, IN

$57 2.4% 29.8% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $1,377 in West Lafayette, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West Lafayette, IN pays 179% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $65.0 in West Lafayette, IN. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $400, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇺🇸 West Lafayette, IN

🕒 Local time

14:12 2:12 PM

16:12 4:12 PM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

28,997

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.701 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Calgary West Lafayette, IN 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
West Lafayette, IN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calgary vs West Lafayette, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and utilities. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 179% lower in West Lafayette, IN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Calgary versus $1,377 in West Lafayette, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $65.0 in West Lafayette, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $2,355 in West Lafayette, IN – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,355 in West Lafayette, IN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in West Lafayette, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Calgary and West Lafayette, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in West Lafayette, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.