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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Alliston vs $2,523 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,532 per month in Alliston vs $3,652 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,778 per month in Alliston vs $4,780 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 71%, Calgary by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 CA$26.01

$18.59 CA$25.86

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 CA$114

$70.0 CA$97.4

17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.52

$10.96 CA$15.24

1.82%

Cappuccino

$1.55 CA$2.15

$3.73 CA$5.19

-58.45%

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

$2.14 CA$2.97

$1.99 CA$2.77

7.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.72 CA$2.40

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$8.00

$5.01 CA$6.97

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.50 CA$9.05

1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.22 CA$3.09

22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$2.67 CA$3.71

2.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.13

$3.26 CA$4.54

13.19%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.44

$3.35 CA$4.66

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.45 CA$18.71

$14.50 CA$20.16

-7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 CA$18.10

$12.95 CA$18.01

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 CA$10.03

$16.15 CA$22.46

-55.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.44

$4.32 CA$6.01

-9.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.35 CA$1.88

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.57

$3.83 CA$5.32

-14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.54

$4.18 CA$5.81

-4.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$2.65 CA$3.68

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.09

$2.74 CA$3.81

7.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$2.76 CA$3.84

-11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.95

$1.95 CA$2.71

-64.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.27

$14.98 CA$20.83

-2.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 CA$10.12

$14.67 CA$20.40

-50.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.84 CA$3.95

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$4.02 CA$5.59

-18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.80 CA$3.90

-15.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$86.2 CA$120

-27.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.60 CA$5.01

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.32 CA$1.83

31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.27 CA$35.14

$29.01 CA$40.35

-12.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.46

$1.12 CA$1.56

-6.25%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

1.45%

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

$21.4K CA$29.7K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-2.72%

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

$116 CA$161

$217 CA$302

-46.76%

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

$28.94 CA$40.25

$41.55 CA$57.8

-30.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 CA$76.6

$58.1 CA$80.8

-5.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.28 CA$36.55

$54.7 CA$76.1

-51.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 CA$16.51

$12.77 CA$17.75

-7.05%

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

$1,129 CA$1,570

$874 CA$1,215

29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K CA$25.3K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

13.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 CA$78.8

$58.8 CA$81.8

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 CA$54.1

$46.47 CA$64.6

-16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$87.2 CA$121

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 CA$163

$109 CA$151

7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 CA$1,802

$1,414 CA$1,966

-8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,617

$1,172 CA$1,630

-0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 CA$2,835

$2,319 CA$3,225

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CA$3,038

$1,886 CA$2,623

15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 CA$5,717

$3,892 CA$5,413

5.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 CA$4,802

$3,503 CA$4,872

-1.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,832 CA$2,548

$3,149 CA$4,380

-41.83%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,296 in Alliston versus $1,414 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 72% 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 $82.0 in Alliston versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Alliston vs $397 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 $3,429 per month in Alliston and $3,785 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 19% 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 $82.0 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 $2,286, than in Calgary at $2,523. 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.