Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,255 a month against $3,069 in Newark, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

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

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ versus $2,255 in Calgary.

Newark, NJ $3,069
Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,584 in Newark, NJ versus $3,361 in Calgary.

Newark, NJ $4,584
Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,098 in Newark, NJ versus $4,468 in Calgary.

Newark, NJ $6,098
Calgary $4,468

Living in Newark, NJ is roughly 36% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 127% above, Calgary 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$17.58 CA$24.85

14.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$69.1 CA$97.6

42.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$10.59 CA$14.97

34.18%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$3.84 CA$5.42

65.63%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$1.93 CA$2.72

93.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.88 CA$2.66

31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$5.09 CA$7.20

56.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$5.64 CA$7.97

76.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.00 CA$2.82

-31.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.78 CA$3.93

62.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$5.59 CA$7.90

34.70%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$3.70 CA$5.23

59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$11.48 CA$16.23

-37.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$11.20 CA$15.84

54.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$18.59 CA$26.28

2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.70 CA$6.64

43.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.45 CA$2.05

58.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.34 CA$6.13

47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$3.79 CA$5.36

75.99%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.69 CA$3.81

49.44%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.75 CA$3.88

58.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.56 CA$3.62

7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.50 CA$2.12

75.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.39 CA$20.34

-17.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$15.81 CA$22.35

24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.47 CA$3.49

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.10 CA$4.39

-11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.81 CA$3.97

118.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$90.6 CA$128

-39.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.28 CA$4.64

-7.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.40 CA$1.97

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$26.49 CA$37.45

60.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.22 CA$1.72

-14.75%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$28.4K CA$40.1K

-3.71%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$20.8K CA$29.5K

24.52%

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

$213 $213

$165 CA$233

29.15%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$38.24 CA$54.1

97.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$50.1 CA$70.9

40.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$53.8 CA$76.1

-45.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$18.04 CA$25.51

-1.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$14.04 CA$19.84

4.84%

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

$2,129 $2,129

$797 CA$1,126

167.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

287.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$59.1 CA$83.5

2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$40.20 CA$56.8

-31.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$90.8 CA$128

33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$109 CA$155

25.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$1,207 CA$1,707

113.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,011 CA$1,429

51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$1,949 CA$2,756

122.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$1,677 CA$2,371

55.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$3,532 CA$4,993

61.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$3,392 CA$4,795

64.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$3,152 CA$4,456

13.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

4.51

48.12%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

Calgary

$1K 44.8% 34.1% $524

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

Calgary

$392 17.4% 22% $110

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

Calgary

$270 12% 26% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

Calgary

$253 11.2% 29.4% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

Calgary

$135 6% 13.7% $21

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

Calgary

$112 5% 20.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

Calgary

$82 3.6% 38.9% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Newark, NJ and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newark, NJ pays 13% 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: $99.0 in Newark, NJ vs $69.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $392 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

01:33 1:33 AM

2 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 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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Newark, 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

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

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Newark, 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: $2,577 in Newark, 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 $99.0 in Newark, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,069 per month in Newark, NJ versus $2,255 in Calgary – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,255 in Calgary versus $3,069 in Newark, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Newark, 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 36% less than in Newark, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.