Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,255 a month against $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elizabeth, NJ and in Calgary

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,255 in Calgary.

Elizabeth, NJ $3,186
Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,361 in Calgary.

Elizabeth, NJ $4,453
Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $4,468 in Calgary.

Elizabeth, NJ $5,720
Calgary $4,468

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 41% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elizabeth, NJ 135% above, Calgary 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$17.58 CA$24.85

12.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$69.1 CA$97.6

16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$10.59 CA$14.97

12.28%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$3.84 CA$5.42

41.93%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$1.93 CA$2.72

25.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.88 CA$2.66

-20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 $7.78

$5.09 CA$7.20

52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$5.64 CA$7.97

26.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.00 CA$2.82

-36.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.78 CA$3.93

61.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.59 CA$7.90

6.62%

Eggs

$6.52 $6.52

$3.70 CA$5.23

76.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$11.48 CA$16.23

33.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$11.20 CA$15.84

5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$18.59 CA$26.28

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.70 CA$6.64

26.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.45 CA$2.05

144.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.34 CA$6.13

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.79 CA$5.36

43.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.69 CA$3.81

11.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.75 CA$3.88

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.56 CA$3.62

17.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.50 CA$2.12

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.62 $14.62

$14.39 CA$20.34

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.81 CA$22.35

-3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.47 CA$3.49

9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.10 CA$4.39

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.81 CA$3.97

2.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$90.6 CA$128

-16.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.28 CA$4.64

-10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.40 CA$1.97

50.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.39 $42.39

$26.49 CA$37.45

60.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.22 CA$1.72

-10.66%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.4K CA$40.1K

-1.53%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$20.8K CA$29.5K

26.23%

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

$247 $247

$165 CA$233

50.25%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$38.24 CA$54.1

33.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 $50.1

$50.1 CA$70.9

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 $24.78

$53.8 CA$76.1

-53.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 CA$25.51

Cinema Ticket

$20.03 $20.03

$14.04 CA$19.84

42.66%

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

$2,012 $2,012

$797 CA$1,126

152.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

2.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 $49.63

$59.1 CA$83.5

-15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.6 $77.6

$40.20 CA$56.8

93.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$90.8 CA$128

-3.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$109 CA$155

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$1,207 CA$1,707

80.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 $1,718

$1,011 CA$1,429

69.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$1,949 CA$2,756

36.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 $2,492

$1,677 CA$2,371

48.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,297 $1,297

$3,532 CA$4,993

-63.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 $1,143

$3,392 CA$4,795

-66.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,997 $3,997

$3,152 CA$4,456

26.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.51

47.89%

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

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9%

Calgary

$1K 44.8% 41.1% $707

Groceries & Markets

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9%

Calgary

$392 17.4% 17.5% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9%

Calgary

$253 11.2% 27.4% $95

Eating Out

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3%

Calgary

$270 12% 17.4% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8%

Calgary

$135 6% 11.1% $17

Getting Around

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2%

Calgary

$112 5% 11% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2%

Calgary

$82 3.6% 26.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 27% 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: $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $69.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $475 vs $392 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

19:28 7:28 PM

17:28 5:28 PM

2 h behind Elizabeth, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,179

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Elizabeth, NJ Calgary 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

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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

Elizabeth, NJ vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Elizabeth, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,207 in Calgary. 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 $69.0 versus $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,186 per month in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,255 in Calgary – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,255 in Calgary versus $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, NJ. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.