Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Cold Lake

For one person, living is cheaper in Cold Lake: $1,938 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $35,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
Cold Lake, Canada
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
Cold Lake
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Cold Lake

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

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $1,938 in Cold Lake, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,906
  • Cold Lake $1,938

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $2,852 in Cold Lake, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • Cold Lake $2,852

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $3,766 in Cold Lake, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,641
  • Cold Lake $3,766

New York, NY costs about 153% more than Cold Lake, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Cold Lake sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Cold Lake by 43%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.93 $26.93
$18.32 CA$25.77
47.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$117 $117
$58.5 CA$82.3
99.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.60 $14.60
$10.15 CA$14.28
43.84%
Cappuccino
$6.54 $6.54
$4.02 CA$5.66
62.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 $3.86
$2.27 CA$3.19
70.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$1.41 CA$1.98
109.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.08 $8.08
$5.63 CA$7.92
43.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 $9.85
$6.51 CA$9.16
51.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.13 CA$1.59
15.93%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$2.13 CA$3.00
133.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.70 $7.70
$3.09 CA$4.35
149.19%
Eggs
$6.09 $6.09
$3.19 CA$4.49
90.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.55 $19.55
$10.96 CA$15.42
78.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.59 $17.59
$11.64 CA$16.38
51.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.26 $20.26
$18.74 CA$26.36
8.11%
Apples (1kg)
$6.99 $6.99
$3.58 CA$5.03
95.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.12 CA$1.57
97.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.72 $6.72
$2.79 CA$3.92
140.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.12 $7.12
$2.56 CA$3.60
178.13%
Potato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$2.14 CA$3.00
115.42%
Onion (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$1.09 CA$1.53
338.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.46 CA$3.46
16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.89 CA$2.65
42.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.14 $19.14
$11.86 CA$16.68
61.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.63 $19.63
$11.65 CA$16.39
68.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$3.47 CA$4.87
-4.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$3.01 CA$4.23
39.20%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 $3.02
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.96 CA$4.17
2.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.41 CA$1.98
56.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
$21.77 CA$30.61
89.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.04 CA$1.47
8.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$28.1K CA$39.6K
22.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$20.9K CA$29.4K
23.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 $232
$232 CA$327
0.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.0 $71.0
$45.69 CA$64.3
55.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.7 $67.7
$56.3 CA$79.1
20.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$115 $115
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$76.8 $76.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$22.41 $22.41
$12.75 CA$17.94
75.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,606 $3,606
$632 CA$888
470.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$68.7K $68.7K
$9,825 CA$13.8K
599.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3 $79.3
$28.58 CA$40.20
177.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 $51.4
$36.04 CA$50.7
42.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 $121
$54.6 CA$76.8
121.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$88.6 CA$125
58.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,555 $4,555
$891 CA$1,253
411.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,040 $3,040
$852 CA$1,199
256.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,742 $9,742
$1,542 CA$2,169
531.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,331 $5,331
$1,471 CA$2,069
262.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.2K $18.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,685 $6,685
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Cold Lake
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,096 $5,096
$3,076 CA$4,326
65.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
4.32
59.49%

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

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cold Lake: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3K
Cold Lake
$852 72% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$567
Cold Lake
$341 39.8% $226
Eating Out
New York, NY
$425
Cold Lake
$281 33.9% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$371
Cold Lake
$334 9.9% $37
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$176
Cold Lake
$94 47% $83
Getting Around
New York, NY
$165
Cold Lake
$10 * 94% $155
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$160
Cold Lake
$26 * 84.1% $135

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $891 in Cold Lake. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 66% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $59 in Cold Lake. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $341 – making Cold Lake the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇨🇦 Cold Lake
🕒 Local time
16:30 4:30 PM
15:30 3:30 PM
1 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
11,595
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Cold Lake 3,060 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Cold Lake

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
New York, NY vs Cold Lake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cold Lake cheaper than New York, NY?
Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 153%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $2,907 in Cold Lake. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cold Lake, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $891 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.
What are total monthly expenses in New York, NY and in Cold Lake?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,906 in New York, NY and $1,938 in Cold Lake. That makes Cold Lake about 60% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $632 in Cold Lake. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in New York, NY or in Cold Lake?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cold Lake, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in New York, NY at $4,906. In Cold Lake it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is New York, NY or Cold Lake more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cold Lake – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cold Lake. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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