Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Austin, TX $2,704
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Austin, TX $4,133
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Austin, TX $5,562
Calgary $4,493

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 21% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$17.22 CA$24.49

17.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$71.2 CA$101

19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$10.56 CA$15.02

16.95%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.77 CA$5.37

45.09%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.91 CA$2.72

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.84 CA$2.62

35.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$4.86 CA$6.92

65.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$5.55 CA$7.90

61.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.88 CA$2.67

-39.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.73 CA$3.88

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.34 CA$7.60

-39.14%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$3.77 CA$5.36

9.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$11.29 CA$16.06

15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$11.46 CA$16.30

24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$18.26 CA$25.97

-12.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.64 CA$6.60

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.44 CA$2.04

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.22 CA$6.01

7.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.86 CA$5.49

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.62 CA$3.73

0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.66 CA$3.78

-11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.59 CA$3.68

-32.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.53 CA$2.18

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$14.26 CA$20.28

-31.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$15.27 CA$21.71

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.41 CA$3.43

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.09 CA$4.40

12.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.88 CA$4.10

-48.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$88.7 CA$126

-54.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.23 CA$4.60

-17.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.38 CA$1.97

14.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$26.49 CA$37.67

33.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.18 CA$1.67

-16.10%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.3K CA$40.2K

26.64%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$20.7K CA$29.5K

31.11%

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

$219 $219

$159 CA$227

37.68%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$37.61 CA$53.5

54.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$49.68 CA$70.7

37.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$53.3 CA$75.7

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$18.31 CA$26.04

-19.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$14.08 CA$20.02

0.36%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$809 CA$1,151

86.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$15.9K CA$22.5K

35.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$58.8 CA$83.6

-12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$38.84 CA$55.2

13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$91.4 CA$130

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$109 CA$155

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,237 CA$1,760

56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$996 CA$1,417

27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,908 CA$2,714

92.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,671 CA$2,377

51.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$3,530 CA$5,022

115.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$3,336 CA$4,745

-4.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$3,130 CA$4,452

63.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.51

50.55%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 21.7% $276

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 3.9% $16

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 23.8% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 28.7% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Calgary

$134 6% 4.2% $5.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Calgary

$81 3.7% 5.5% $4.8

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Calgary

$110 5% 93.6% $53

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 63% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

20:53 8:53 PM

19:53 7:53 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Austin, TX Calgary 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
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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

Austin, TX vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calgary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,237 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 119% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.