Cost of Living Comparison Between Alliston and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Alliston and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,216 per month in Alliston vs $2,433 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,433 per month in Alliston vs $3,642 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,651 per month in Alliston vs $4,850 in Calgary, rent included.

Alliston is about 9% cheaper than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alliston and Calgary sit above the global median – Alliston by 65%, Calgary by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 CA$25.80

$18.20 CA$24.93

3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 CA$113

$70.0 CA$95.9

17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.26

$11.01 CA$15.09

1.18%

Cappuccino

$1.56 CA$2.13

$3.73 CA$5.11

-58.18%

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

$2.22 CA$3.04

$1.98 CA$2.71

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.65 CA$2.26

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$7.89

$5.27 CA$7.22

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.28

$6.65 CA$9.11

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

$2.15 CA$2.94

25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$2.68 CA$3.67

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.00

$3.40 CA$4.66

7.35%

Eggs

$3.26 CA$4.46

$3.28 CA$4.49

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 CA$18.24

$14.65 CA$20.07

-9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.14

$12.61 CA$17.28

5.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 CA$9.93

$16.13 CA$22.10

-55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.38

$4.46 CA$6.11

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.34 CA$1.84

-12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.73 CA$5.11

-12.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.58

$4.29 CA$5.88

-5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.43

$2.67 CA$3.65

-6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$2.61 CA$3.57

8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.22

$2.74 CA$3.76

-14.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.95

$1.90 CA$2.60

-63.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.42

$14.98 CA$20.52

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 CA$10.10

$14.30 CA$19.59

-48.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.69

$2.90 CA$3.97

-7.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.49

$3.97 CA$5.44

-17.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.33

$2.68 CA$3.67

-9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$87.1

$87.9 CA$120

-27.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.02

$3.57 CA$4.88

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 CA$2.41

$1.34 CA$1.84

31.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.60

$29.30 CA$40.15

-11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 CA$1.37

$1.13 CA$1.55

-11.50%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

0.18%

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

$21.6K CA$29.6K

$22.2K CA$30.4K

-2.88%

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

$119 CA$163

$218 CA$299

-45.29%

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

$29.03 CA$39.76

$41.44 CA$56.8

-29.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 CA$73.3

$58.2 CA$79.7

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.03 CA$37.03

$53.7 CA$73.6

-49.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.23

$12.66 CA$17.34

-6.40%

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

$1,137 CA$1,557

$885 CA$1,212

28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

$16.1K CA$22.0K

13.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$58.1 CA$79.6

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.22 CA$53.7

$48.22 CA$66.1

-18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 CA$121

$88.4 CA$121

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$106 CA$146

9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CA$1,771

$1,396 CA$1,913

-7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 CA$1,611

$1,186 CA$1,625

-0.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 CA$2,792

$2,293 CA$3,142

-11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 CA$3,066

$1,859 CA$2,547

20.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,776 CA$6,543

$3,779 CA$5,178

26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,115 CA$5,638

$3,509 CA$4,808

17.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,873 CA$2,566

$3,117 CA$4,271

-39.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.71

-9.63%

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

Last update for Alliston: April 11, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Alliston versus $1,396 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 66% higher in Calgary, 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 $83 in Alliston versus $70 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Alliston vs $395 in Calgary – so Alliston 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

Alliston vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Calgary is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,324 per month in Alliston and $3,650 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% more in Calgary, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Alliston and $70.0 in Calgary. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Alliston, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Calgary at $2,433. In Alliston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alliston – 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 Alliston. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calgary makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.