Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, OH and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, OH: $1,644 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$1,644
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,644 in Athens, OH versus $2,223 in Calgary.

  • Athens, OH $1,644
  • Calgary $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,493 in Athens, OH versus $3,301 in Calgary.

  • Athens, OH $2,493
  • Calgary $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,342 in Athens, OH versus $4,379 in Calgary.

  • Athens, OH $3,342
  • Calgary $4,379

Living in Athens, OH costs roughly 26% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens, OH 22% above, Calgary 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.15 $15.15
$17.22 CA$24.34
-12.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.45 $49.45
$71.1 CA$100
-30.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 $9.80
$10.53 CA$14.89
-6.93%
Cappuccino
$5.03 $5.03
$3.66 CA$5.18
37.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.98 CA$2.80
13.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.94 CA$2.74
-25.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.99 $4.99
$4.95 CA$7.00
0.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 $7.20
$5.57 CA$7.87
29.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.74 $0.74
$1.88 CA$2.65
-60.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.67 CA$3.78
-20.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$5.32 CA$7.52
-43.80%
Eggs
$4.18 $4.18
$3.79 CA$5.35
10.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.02 $13.02
$11.09 CA$15.68
17.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.94 $8.94
$11.36 CA$16.05
-21.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.91 $15.91
$18.40 CA$26.01
-13.53%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$4.56 CA$6.45
-18.86%
Banana (1kg)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.44 CA$2.04
-33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.75 $2.75
$4.08 CA$5.76
-32.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.10 $3.10
$3.89 CA$5.50
-20.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$2.64 CA$3.73
-39.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.64 CA$3.73
-19.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.64 $1.64
$2.50 CA$3.54
-34.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.50 CA$2.12
28.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.97 $8.97
$14.05 CA$19.86
-36.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.71 $14.71
$15.70 CA$22.20
-6.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.44 CA$3.45
-12.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 $2.98
$3.09 CA$4.37
-3.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 $1.01
$2.82 CA$3.99
-64.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$88.6 CA$125
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 $3.83
$3.12 CA$4.41
22.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.35 CA$1.91
-8.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.28 $25.28
$27.02 CA$38.20
-6.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.16 CA$1.64
-23.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$27.9K CA$39.5K
29.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$20.3K CA$28.8K
24.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 $148
$161 CA$227
-8.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.29 $30.29
$38.13 CA$53.9
-20.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.65 $47.65
$50.0 CA$70.7
-4.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$51.5 CA$72.8
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.14 CA$25.64
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.84 $11.84
$13.82 CA$19.54
-14.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,453 $1,453
$786 CA$1,111
84.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.7K $19.7K
$15.5K CA$21.8K
27.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.49 $45.49
$58.3 CA$82.4
-21.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.13 $45.13
$39.27 CA$55.5
14.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.9 $63.9
$89.8 CA$127
-28.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$110 CA$155
-2.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,282 $1,282
$1,229 CA$1,737
4.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 $674
$1,001 CA$1,415
-32.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$1,921 CA$2,716
-24.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 $1,228
$1,621 CA$2,292
-24.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,674 $1,674
$3,549 CA$5,018
-52.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,664 $1,664
$3,335 CA$4,715
-50.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens, OH
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,467 $3,467
$3,165 CA$4,474
9.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
4.51
46.12%

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

Last update for Athens, OH: October 10, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens, OH
$674
Calgary
$1K 48.6% $328
Groceries & Markets
Athens, OH
$324
Calgary
$385 18.8% $61
Eating Out
Athens, OH
$265
Calgary
$265 0.1% $0.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens, OH
$226
Calgary
$249 10.3% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Athens, OH
$118
Calgary
$134 13.5% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Athens, OH
$24 *
Calgary
$79 234% $55
Getting Around
Athens, OH
$14 *
Calgary
$110 684% $96

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Athens, OH and $1,229 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens, OH pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Athens, OH vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $385 per month, with Athens, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Athens, OH
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
12:04 12:04 PM
10:04 10:04 AM
2 h behind Athens, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,452
1,267,344
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens, OH Calgary 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens, OH
  • 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
Athens, OH vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than Athens, OH?
Athens, OH is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Athens, OH or Calgary?
Average pay runs 10% higher in Athens, OH, 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 Athens, OH and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,282 in Athens, OH versus $1,229 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Athens, OH and in Calgary?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Athens, OH and in Calgary?
All in, you'll spend $1,644 per month in Athens, OH versus $2,223 in Calgary – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Athens, OH or in Calgary?
At $1,644 in Athens, OH versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Athens, OH but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Athens, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Athens, OH 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Athens, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Athens, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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