Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Brunswick, NJ and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,255 a month against $2,641 in North Brunswick, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

North Brunswick, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,641
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,255
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,641 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $2,255 in Calgary.

  • North Brunswick, NJ $2,641
  • Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,632 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $3,361 in Calgary.

  • North Brunswick, NJ $3,632
  • Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,623 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $4,468 in Calgary.

  • North Brunswick, NJ $4,623
  • Calgary $4,468

Living in North Brunswick, NJ is roughly 17% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Brunswick, NJ 95% above, Calgary 66% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.38 $20.38
$17.58 CA$24.85
15.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.4 $60.4
$69.1 CA$97.6
-12.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.05 $12.05
$10.59 CA$14.97
13.79%
Cappuccino
$3.04 $3.04
$3.84 CA$5.42
-20.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.93 CA$2.72
38.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.88 CA$2.66
-37.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.64 $6.64
$5.09 CA$7.20
30.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 $5.94
$5.64 CA$7.97
5.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$2.00 CA$2.82
-44.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.78 CA$3.93
-42.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.62 $5.62
$5.59 CA$7.90
0.54%
Eggs
$4.59 $4.59
$3.70 CA$5.23
24.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.21 $13.21
$11.48 CA$16.23
15.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.20 $17.20
$11.20 CA$15.84
53.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$18.59 CA$26.28
-14.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$4.70 CA$6.64
-15.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.45 CA$2.05
28.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$4.34 CA$6.13
-1.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.02 $6.02
$3.79 CA$5.36
58.84%
Potato (1kg)
$3.23 $3.23
$2.69 CA$3.81
20.07%
Onion (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.75 CA$3.88
22.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 $2.32
$2.56 CA$3.62
-9.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.50 CA$2.12
36.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.66 $14.66
$14.39 CA$20.34
1.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.04 $18.04
$15.81 CA$22.35
14.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$2.47 CA$3.49
5.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 $4.11
$3.10 CA$4.39
32.58%
🚌 Getting Around
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.81 CA$3.97
-29.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$90.6 CA$128
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.81 $2.81
$3.28 CA$4.64
-14.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.67 $3.67
$1.40 CA$1.97
162.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$49.62 $49.62
$26.49 CA$37.45
87.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.22 CA$1.72
-18.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K $27.4K
$28.4K CA$40.1K
-3.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$20.8K CA$29.5K
27.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 $127
$165 CA$233
-22.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.32 $47.32
$38.24 CA$54.1
23.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.7 $56.7
$50.1 CA$70.9
13.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.51 $47.51
$53.8 CA$76.1
-11.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.04 CA$25.51
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.03 $13.03
$14.04 CA$19.84
-7.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,418 $1,418
$797 CA$1,126
78.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K $23.3K
$15.8K CA$22.3K
47.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 $54.1
$59.1 CA$83.5
-8.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 $50.5
$40.20 CA$56.8
25.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 $122
$90.8 CA$128
34.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 $132
$109 CA$155
20.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 $1,430
$1,207 CA$1,707
18.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,423 $1,423
$1,011 CA$1,429
40.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,221 $2,221
$1,949 CA$2,756
13.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,902 $1,902
$1,677 CA$2,371
13.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,715 $2,715
$3,532 CA$4,993
-23.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,046 $2,046
$3,392 CA$4,795
-39.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
North Brunswick, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,152 CA$4,456
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.01
4.51
55.43%

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

Last update for North Brunswick, 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
North Brunswick, NJ
$1.4K
Calgary
$1K 29% $412
Groceries & Markets
North Brunswick, NJ
$427
Calgary
$392 8.3% $35
Eating Out
North Brunswick, NJ
$296
Calgary
$270 8.7% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Brunswick, NJ
$231
Calgary
$253 9.5% $22
Clothing & Footwear
North Brunswick, NJ
$161
Calgary
$135 16.5% $27
Sport & Entertainment
North Brunswick, NJ
$74
Calgary
$82 11.3% $8.3
Getting Around
North Brunswick, NJ
$29 *
Calgary
$112 285% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,430 in North Brunswick, NJ and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in North Brunswick, NJ vs $69.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $427 vs $392, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 North Brunswick, NJ
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
01:18 1:18 AM
23:18 11:18 PM
2 h behind North Brunswick, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
43,905
1,267,344
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • North Brunswick, NJ Calgary 3,240 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • North Brunswick, NJ
  • Calgary

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
North Brunswick, NJ vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than North Brunswick, NJ?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,962 in North Brunswick, NJ and $3,382 in Calgary to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between North Brunswick, NJ and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,430 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $1,207 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,418 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $797 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in North Brunswick, NJ or in Calgary?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $60.0 in North Brunswick, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in North Brunswick, NJ or in Calgary?
At $2,255 in Calgary versus $2,641 in North Brunswick, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Brunswick, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in North Brunswick, NJ or in Calgary?
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.
Which city is safer, North Brunswick, NJ or Calgary?
Safety-wise, North Brunswick, 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in North Brunswick, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

North Brunswick, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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