Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

189

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lee, NJ
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Fort Lee, NJ Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Fort Lee, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,937

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fort Lee, 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 Fort Lee, NJ and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Fort Lee, NJ $3,937
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,241 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Fort Lee, NJ $6,241
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,546 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Fort Lee, NJ $8,546
Calgary $4,493

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 76% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 194% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$17.22 CA$24.54

45.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 $82.1

$71.2 CA$101

15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$10.56 CA$15.06

4.36%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.77 CA$5.38

45.36%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.91 CA$2.73

16.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.84 CA$2.63

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$4.86 CA$6.93

67.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$5.55 CA$7.91

45.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.88 CA$2.68

-29.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.73 CA$3.89

37.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$5.34 CA$7.61

24.72%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$3.77 CA$5.37

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$11.29 CA$16.09

9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 $11.82

$11.46 CA$16.34

3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$18.26 CA$26.03

-5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.64 CA$6.62

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.44 CA$2.05

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.22 CA$6.02

53.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.86 CA$5.50

38.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.62 CA$3.74

51.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.66 CA$3.79

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.59 CA$3.69

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.53 CA$2.19

84.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 $11.60

$14.26 CA$20.32

-18.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$15.27 CA$21.76

-22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.41 CA$3.44

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.09 CA$4.41

-35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.88 CA$4.11

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$88.7 CA$126

56.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.23 CA$4.61

-8.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.38 CA$1.97

50.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.65 $23.65

$26.49 CA$37.75

-10.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.18 CA$1.68

-26.27%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.3K CA$40.3K

12.91%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$20.7K CA$29.5K

24.31%

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

$214 $214

$159 CA$227

34.31%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$37.61 CA$53.6

97.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$49.68 CA$70.8

31.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$53.3 CA$75.9

134.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 $14.61

$14.08 CA$20.06

3.76%

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

$1,983 $1,983

$809 CA$1,154

144.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$15.9K CA$22.6K

52.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.22 $41.22

$58.8 CA$83.8

-29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$38.84 CA$55.4

45.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 $77.4

$91.4 CA$130

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$109 CA$155

-21.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$1,237 CA$1,764

137.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$996 CA$1,420

130.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,476 $6,476

$1,908 CA$2,720

239.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,974 $4,974

$1,671 CA$2,382

197.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,302 $4,302

$3,530 CA$5,032

21.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,810 $3,810

$3,336 CA$4,755

14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,520 $6,520

$3,130 CA$4,461

108.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

4.51

49.67%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 3, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Lee, NJ

$2.3K 59%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 56.7% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Fort Lee, NJ

$437 11.2%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 11.4% $50

Eating Out

Fort Lee, NJ

$372 9.6%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 28.8% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Lee, NJ

$354 9.1%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 30.3% $107

Getting Around

Fort Lee, NJ

$163 4.2%

Calgary

$110 5% 32.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Lee, NJ

$154 4%

Calgary

$81 3.7% 47.1% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Lee, NJ

$117 3%

Calgary

$134 6% 14.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 108% 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: $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Lee, NJ

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

22:27 10:27 PM

20:27 8:27 PM

2 h behind Fort Lee, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,008

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 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 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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

From you

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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

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

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 108% higher in Fort Lee, 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: $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,237 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 $71.0 versus $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,937 per month in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, 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.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ and Calgary 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 76% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.