Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Allentown, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,223 a month against $2,691 in Allentown, PA, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Allentown, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,691
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Allentown, PA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Allentown, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,223 per month in Calgary vs $2,691 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

  • Calgary $2,223
  • Allentown, PA $2,691

A couple spends around $3,301 per month in Calgary vs $3,850 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

  • Calgary $3,301
  • Allentown, PA $3,850

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Calgary vs $5,010 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

  • Calgary $4,379
  • Allentown, PA $5,010

Calgary is about 17% cheaper than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Calgary and Allentown, PA sit above the global median – Calgary by 65%, Allentown, PA by 99%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.34
$19.84 $19.84
-13.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.1 CA$100
$88.7 $88.7
-19.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 CA$14.89
$11.81 $11.81
-10.84%
Cappuccino
$3.66 CA$5.18
$5.74 $5.74
-36.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 CA$2.80
$2.65 $2.65
-25.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$1.59 $1.59
22.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.95 CA$7.00
$5.10 $5.10
-2.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 CA$7.87
$6.13 $6.13
-9.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.65
$1.18 $1.18
59.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.78
$2.18 $2.18
22.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.32 CA$7.52
$2.48 $2.48
114.52%
Eggs
$3.79 CA$5.35
$3.75 $3.75
1.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.09 CA$15.68
$15.65 $15.65
-29.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 CA$16.05
$8.14 $8.14
39.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.40 CA$26.01
$18.52 $18.52
-0.65%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 CA$6.45
$6.84 $6.84
-33.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.04
$1.62 $1.62
-11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 CA$5.76
$2.92 $2.92
39.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 CA$5.50
$6.51 $6.51
-40.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$2.55 $2.55
3.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$3.25 $3.25
-18.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 CA$3.54
$2.24 $2.24
11.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$2.50 $2.50
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.05 CA$19.86
$11.63 $11.63
20.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.70 CA$22.20
$14.90 $14.90
5.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$2.24 $2.24
8.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.37
$2.71 $2.71
14.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$2.26 $2.26
24.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 CA$125
$60.3 $60.3
46.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 CA$4.41
$2.96 $2.96
5.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$2.15 $2.15
-37.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.02 CA$38.20
$41.76 $41.76
-35.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.64
$1.11 $1.11
4.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.5K
$35.4K $35.4K
-21.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.8K
$25.2K $25.2K
-19.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 CA$227
$192 $192
-16.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.13 CA$53.9
$52.5 $52.5
-27.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.0 CA$70.7
$71.7 $71.7
-30.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 CA$72.8
$31.65 $31.65
62.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 CA$25.64
$24.87 $24.87
-27.06%
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 CA$19.54
$13.24 $13.24
4.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 CA$1,111
$1,181 $1,181
-33.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K CA$21.8K
$11.9K $11.9K
30.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 CA$82.4
$39.32 $39.32
48.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.27 CA$55.5
$52.5 $52.5
-25.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$127
$88.4 $88.4
1.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$120 $120
-8.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,229 CA$1,737
$1,594 $1,594
-22.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 CA$1,415
$1,391 $1,391
-28.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 CA$2,716
$2,269 $2,269
-15.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 CA$2,292
$2,044 $2,044
-20.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,549 CA$5,018
$2,613 $2,613
35.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,335 CA$4,715
$2,210 $2,210
50.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Allentown, PA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,165 CA$4,474
$2,888 $2,888
9.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
6.43
-29.86%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1K
Allentown, PA
$1.4K 38.9% $390
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$385
Allentown, PA
$389 1.1% $4.1
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Allentown, PA
$318 20% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$249
Allentown, PA
$316 26.9% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Allentown, PA
$135 1% $1.3
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Allentown, PA
$83 24.4% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$79
Allentown, PA
$58 26.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,229 in Calgary versus $1,594 in Allentown, PA. 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 10% higher in Calgary, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Calgary versus $89.0 in Allentown, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $389 – making Calgary the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇺🇸 Allentown, PA
🕒 Local time
16:07 4:07 PM
18:07 6:07 PM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
120,443
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Allentown, PA 3,160 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Allentown, PA

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
Calgary vs Allentown, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Calgary or Allentown, PA?
Allentown, PA costs about 21% more than Calgary, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Calgary and in Allentown, PA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,335 per month in Calgary and $4,036 in Allentown, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Calgary or Allentown, PA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calgary, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Calgary compared to Allentown, PA?
Public transport costs about 47% less in Calgary. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Calgary and in Allentown, PA?
Kindergarten costs $786 per month in Calgary and $1,181 in Allentown, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Calgary or in Allentown, PA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Calgary, where all-in costs run around $2,223, than in Allentown, PA at $2,691. In Calgary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Allentown, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Calgary – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Calgary or to Allentown, PA?
If budget matters most, go with Calgary. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Allentown, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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