Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,521 in New Westminster versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,864 in New Westminster versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,207 in New Westminster versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in New Westminster is roughly 2% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Westminster 89% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.70 CA$20.68

$18.33 CA$25.79

-19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 CA$105

$69.9 CA$98.3

7.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 CA$13.86

$10.95 CA$15.41

-10.05%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.73

$3.74 CA$5.26

8.82%

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

$2.01 CA$2.84

$2.04 CA$2.87

-1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$1.67 CA$2.35

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.78

$5.20 CA$7.32

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.21

$6.71 CA$9.45

-2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.27

$2.25 CA$3.16

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$2.75 CA$3.87

-9.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.29

$3.23 CA$4.54

16.41%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$5.07

$3.45 CA$4.85

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 CA$14.13

$14.40 CA$20.26

-30.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 CA$14.37

$12.89 CA$18.13

-20.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 CA$13.86

$15.86 CA$22.32

-37.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.37

$4.30 CA$6.05

-27.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.34 CA$1.89

5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$3.85 CA$5.42

-23.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.24

$4.25 CA$5.99

-12.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.55 CA$3.58

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.62 CA$3.69

-16.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$2.80 CA$3.94

-32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$1.95 CA$2.74

9.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.89 CA$22.35

$14.97 CA$21.06

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 CA$15.00

$13.90 CA$19.57

-23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.06

$2.92 CA$4.11

-25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.91 CA$5.50

-23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.74 CA$3.85

-6.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.6 CA$133

$87.8 CA$124

7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$3.60 CA$5.06

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.30 CA$1.83

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.11 CA$32.52

$28.70 CA$40.39

-19.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.12 CA$1.57

12.50%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-0.25%

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

$19.8K CA$27.9K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-8.94%

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

$115 CA$161

$213 CA$300

-46.13%

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

$45.62 CA$64.2

$40.96 CA$57.6

11.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 CA$93.9

$57.9 CA$81.5

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.04 CA$49.31

$54.2 CA$76.2

-35.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.72 CA$26.34

$53.8 CA$75.6

-65.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 CA$17.13

$12.63 CA$17.77

-3.64%

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

$820 CA$1,153

$874 CA$1,230

-6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,048 CA$11.3K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-49.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.26 CA$67.9

$58.6 CA$82.5

-17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 CA$46.83

$47.01 CA$66.2

-29.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$117

$85.1 CA$120

-2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$108 CA$151

-2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 CA$2,286

$1,380 CA$1,942

17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 CA$1,933

$1,159 CA$1,631

18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,016 CA$4,243

$2,324 CA$3,270

29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,752 CA$3,873

$1,905 CA$2,680

44.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,732 CA$6,659

$3,786 CA$5,327

25.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 CA$5,754

$3,511 CA$4,940

16.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,065 CA$4,313

$2,940 CA$4,136

4.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

5.71

12.78%

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

Last update for New Westminster: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in New Westminster and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Westminster pays 4% 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: $75.0 in New Westminster vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $396, with New Westminster cheaper for home cooking.

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

New Westminster vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in New Westminster, 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: $1,625 in New Westminster versus $1,380 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 $70.0 versus $75.0 in New Westminster. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,521 per month in New Westminster versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,521 in New Westminster, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in New Westminster. 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, New Westminster 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 2% less than in New Westminster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.