Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,045 per month in Ajax, ON vs $2,462 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,923 per month in Ajax, ON vs $3,628 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,802 per month in Ajax, ON vs $4,795 in Calgary, rent included.

Ajax, ON costs about 24% more than Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ajax, ON and Calgary sit above the global median – Ajax, ON by 128%, Calgary by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.56 CA$20.42

$18.33 CA$25.70

-20.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 CA$105

$69.9 CA$98.0

7.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 CA$14.20

$10.95 CA$15.35

-7.49%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.95

$3.74 CA$5.24

-5.61%

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

$1.96 CA$2.75

$2.04 CA$2.86

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$5.20 CA$7.29

-30.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.04

$6.71 CA$9.41

-14.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$2.25 CA$3.15

-23.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$2.75 CA$3.85

5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 CA$6.63

$3.23 CA$4.53

46.44%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.65

$3.45 CA$4.83

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 CA$13.52

$14.40 CA$20.19

-32.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 CA$13.90

$12.89 CA$18.07

-23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.64

$15.86 CA$22.24

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.22

$4.30 CA$6.02

3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.20

$1.34 CA$1.88

17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.93

$3.85 CA$5.40

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.09

$4.25 CA$5.97

2.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.55 CA$3.57

-3.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.62 CA$3.68

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.98

$2.80 CA$3.92

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$1.95 CA$2.73

-11.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 CA$19.84

$14.97 CA$20.99

-5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 CA$19.53

$13.90 CA$19.49

0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$2.92 CA$4.10

-26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$3.91 CA$5.48

-40.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$2.74 CA$3.84

-3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 CA$92.6

$87.8 CA$123

-24.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$3.60 CA$5.04

-10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$1.30 CA$1.82

119.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.70 CA$36.03

$28.70 CA$40.24

-10.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.12 CA$1.57

0.89%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-0.86%

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

$20.0K CA$28.0K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-8.24%

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

$186 CA$260

$213 CA$299

-12.89%

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

$33.62 CA$47.13

$40.96 CA$57.4

-17.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 CA$84.2

$57.9 CA$81.2

3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.55 CA$47.04

$54.2 CA$76.0

-38.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.00 CA$15.42

$53.8 CA$75.4

-79.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 CA$15.17

$12.63 CA$17.71

-14.33%

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

$907 CA$1,271

$874 CA$1,226

3.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

16.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$70.4

$58.6 CA$82.2

-14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.58 CA$51.3

$47.01 CA$65.9

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$126

$85.1 CA$119

5.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$108 CA$151

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 CA$2,580

$1,380 CA$1,935

33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,867 CA$2,618

$1,159 CA$1,625

61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,468 CA$3,461

$2,324 CA$3,259

6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CA$3,105

$1,905 CA$2,670

16.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,047 CA$4,272

$2,940 CA$4,121

3.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.71

19.61%

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

Last update for Ajax, ON: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,840 in Ajax, ON versus $1,380 in Calgary. 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 4% higher in Ajax, ON, 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 $75.0 in Ajax, ON versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Ajax, ON vs $396 in Calgary – so Ajax, ON wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ajax, ON vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ajax, ON costs about 24% more than Calgary, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,567 per month in Ajax, ON and $3,693 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calgary, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,045 in Ajax, ON and $2,462 in Calgary. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Calgary. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Calgary, where all-in costs run around $2,462, than in Ajax, ON at $3,045. In Calgary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajax, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calgary – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calgary. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajax, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.