Cost of Living Comparison Between Arnhem and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Arnhem and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,713 in Arnhem versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,945 in Arnhem versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Arnhem versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Arnhem is roughly 15% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arnhem 97% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.54 €20.23

$17.94 CA$24.74

31.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 €78.2

$70.5 CA$97.3

28.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 €11.87

$10.69 CA$14.74

29.19%

Cappuccino

$4.48 €3.85

$3.79 CA$5.22

18.21%

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

$3.42 €2.94

$2.00 CA$2.76

71.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.98 CA$2.72

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.19 CA$7.16

10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 €5.14

$5.86 CA$8.08

2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.95 CA$2.69

-35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.82 CA$3.89

-27.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 €2.97

$5.61 CA$7.74

-38.50%

Eggs

$5.36 €4.61

$3.75 CA$5.17

42.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 €11.49

$11.50 CA$15.86

16.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.85 €12.76

$11.46 CA$15.81

29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.54 €14.22

$18.95 CA$26.14

-12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$4.83 CA$6.66

-41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.37 CA$1.89

82.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$4.25 CA$5.86

-56.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 €4.74

$4.15 CA$5.72

32.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.70 CA$3.73

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.83 CA$3.90

-9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.64 CA$3.64

-51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$1.51 CA$2.08

-48.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.73 €12.66

$14.60 CA$20.14

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.46

$15.76 CA$21.73

-52.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.60 CA$3.58

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.40

$3.08 CA$4.25

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.62 €3.97

$2.93 CA$4.04

57.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 €99.3

$89.3 CA$123

29.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.58

$3.32 CA$4.58

25.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.43 CA$1.97

65.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.82 €29.07

$27.71 CA$38.21

22.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.26 CA$1.74

86.51%

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

$43.3K €37.2K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

49.64%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$21.3K CA$29.4K

91.30%

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

$289 €248

$183 CA$252

57.98%

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

$23.38 €20.10

$38.31 CA$52.8

-38.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.35 €38.99

$51.7 CA$71.3

-12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 €37.09

$54.9 CA$75.7

-21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 €10.08

$18.66 CA$25.73

-37.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 €12.92

$14.26 CA$19.66

5.40%

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

$1,288 €1,108

$828 CA$1,142

55.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,275 €5,395

$15.9K CA$21.9K

-60.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 €85.3

$59.6 CA$82.1

66.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 €26.01

$39.47 CA$54.4

-23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €95.9

$94.3 CA$130

18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 €139

$113 CA$156

43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 €1,297

$1,265 CA$1,744

19.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,036

$1,051 CA$1,450

14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,964

$1,934 CA$2,667

18.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 €1,614

$1,700 CA$2,344

10.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,379 €4,624

$3,680 CA$5,075

46.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,357 €3,745

$3,333 CA$4,597

30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,764 €3,236

$3,276 CA$4,518

14.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.4

-10.23%

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

Last update for Arnhem: August 29, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,509 in Arnhem and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 15% 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: $91.0 in Arnhem vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $397, with Arnhem cheaper for home cooking.

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

Arnhem vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arnhem and Calgary differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,713 vs $2,353 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Arnhem, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,509 in Arnhem versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Arnhem pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $91.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,713 in Arnhem, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Arnhem 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.