Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ridgewood, NJ and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,628 in Ridgewood, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ridgewood, NJ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ridgewood, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,628
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,232
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,628 in Ridgewood, NJ versus $2,232 in Calgary.

  • Ridgewood, NJ $2,628
  • Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,882 in Ridgewood, NJ versus $3,363 in Calgary.

  • Ridgewood, NJ $3,882
  • Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,136 in Ridgewood, NJ versus $4,493 in Calgary.

  • Ridgewood, NJ $5,136
  • Calgary $4,493

Living in Ridgewood, NJ is roughly 18% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ridgewood, NJ 96% above, Calgary 67% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.90 $17.90
$17.22 CA$24.55
3.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6 $73.6
$71.2 CA$102
3.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.15 $12.15
$10.56 CA$15.06
15.06%
Cappuccino
$5.34 $5.34
$3.77 CA$5.38
41.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 $2.61
$1.91 CA$2.73
36.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.84 CA$2.63
11.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.89 $6.89
$4.86 CA$6.94
41.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.98 $7.98
$5.55 CA$7.91
43.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.88 CA$2.68
-14.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.73 CA$3.89
27.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$5.34 CA$7.62
-16.48%
Eggs
$3.41 $3.41
$3.77 CA$5.37
-9.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.29 $15.29
$11.29 CA$16.10
35.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.59 $7.59
$11.46 CA$16.34
-33.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.01 $11.01
$18.26 CA$26.04
-39.70%
Apples (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$4.64 CA$6.62
15.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.44 CA$2.05
23.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$4.22 CA$6.02
1.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.91 $5.91
$3.86 CA$5.50
53.11%
Potato (1kg)
$3.97 $3.97
$2.62 CA$3.74
51.53%
Onion (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$2.66 CA$3.79
68.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 $2.61
$2.59 CA$3.69
0.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.53 CA$2.19
66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.13 $12.13
$14.26 CA$20.33
-14.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.93 $14.93
$15.27 CA$21.77
-2.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.41 CA$3.44
12.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 $3.39
$3.09 CA$4.41
9.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.92 $1.92
$2.88 CA$4.11
-33.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.65 $39.65
$88.7 CA$126
-55.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 $3.02
$3.23 CA$4.61
-6.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.38 CA$1.97
-12.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.44 $41.44
$26.49 CA$37.77
56.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.18 CA$1.68
-11.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$28.3K CA$40.3K
5.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K $24.8K
$20.7K CA$29.6K
19.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$247 $247
$159 CA$227
54.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.4 $60.4
$37.61 CA$53.6
60.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.7 $62.7
$49.68 CA$70.8
26.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 $56.7
$53.3 CA$75.9
6.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.85 $39.85
$18.31 CA$26.11
117.64%
Cinema Ticket
$19.14 $19.14
$14.08 CA$20.07
35.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,587 $2,587
$809 CA$1,154
219.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.2K $34.2K
$15.9K CA$22.6K
115.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.2 $66.2
$58.8 CA$83.8
12.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.9 $53.9
$38.84 CA$55.4
38.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.0 $84.0
$91.4 CA$130
-8.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 $114
$109 CA$155
4.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,581 $1,581
$1,237 CA$1,764
27.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 $1,297
$996 CA$1,420
30.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 $2,494
$1,908 CA$2,721
30.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,153 $2,153
$1,671 CA$2,383
28.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,561 $2,561
$3,530 CA$5,034
-27.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,374 $2,374
$3,336 CA$4,757
-28.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ridgewood, NJ
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,057 $5,057
$3,130 CA$4,463
61.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
4.51
47.89%

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

Last update for Ridgewood, NJ: October 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ridgewood, NJ
$1.3K
Calgary
$996 23.2% $301
Groceries & Markets
Ridgewood, NJ
$396
Calgary
$387 2.1% $8.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ridgewood, NJ
$370
Calgary
$247 33.4% $123
Eating Out
Ridgewood, NJ
$313
Calgary
$265 15.2% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Ridgewood, NJ
$143
Calgary
$134 6.2% $8.9
Sport & Entertainment
Ridgewood, NJ
$95
Calgary
$81 14.3% $14
Getting Around
Ridgewood, NJ
$56
Calgary
$110 95.8% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,581 in Ridgewood, NJ and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ridgewood, NJ pays 62% 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: $74.0 in Ridgewood, NJ vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ridgewood, NJ
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
23:08 11:08 PM
21:08 9:08 PM
2 h behind Ridgewood, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,272
1,267,344
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ridgewood, NJ Calgary 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ridgewood, 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
Ridgewood, NJ vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than Ridgewood, NJ?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ridgewood, NJ or Calgary?
Average pay runs 62% higher in Ridgewood, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Ridgewood, NJ and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,581 in Ridgewood, NJ versus $1,237 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Ridgewood, NJ or in Calgary?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $74.0 in Ridgewood, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Ridgewood, NJ and in Calgary?
All in, you'll spend $2,628 per month in Ridgewood, NJ versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Ridgewood, NJ or in Calgary?
At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,628 in Ridgewood, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Ridgewood, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Ridgewood, 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, Ridgewood, NJ or Calgary?
Safety-wise, Ridgewood, 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 18% less than in Ridgewood, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ridgewood, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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