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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,433 per month in Calgary vs $2,216 in Alliston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,642 per month in Calgary vs $3,433 in Alliston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,850 per month in Calgary vs $4,651 in Alliston, rent included.

Calgary costs about 10% more than Alliston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Alliston sit above the global median – Calgary by 81%, Alliston by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$18.83 CA$25.80

-3.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$82.6 CA$113

-15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.14 CA$15.26

-1.17%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.56 CA$2.13

139.10%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.22 CA$3.04

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.69 CA$2.32

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.76 CA$7.89

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.78 CA$9.28

-1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.69 CA$3.68

-20.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.72 CA$3.73

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.65 CA$5.00

-6.85%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.26 CA$4.46

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$13.31 CA$18.24

10.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$13.24 CA$18.14

-4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$7.25 CA$9.93

122.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.93 CA$5.38

13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.17 CA$1.61

14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.27 CA$4.48

14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.07 CA$5.58

5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.50 CA$3.43

6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.82 CA$3.86

-7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.35 CA$3.22

16.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$0.69 CA$0.95

175.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$14.91 CA$20.42

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$7.37 CA$10.10

94.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.69 CA$3.69

7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.27 CA$4.49

21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.43 CA$3.33

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$63.6 CA$87.1

38.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.67 CA$5.02

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.76 CA$2.41

-23.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$25.99 CA$35.60

12.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.00 CA$1.37

13.00%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

-0.18%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$21.6K CA$29.6K

2.97%

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

$218 CA$299

$119 CA$163

82.79%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$29.03 CA$39.76

42.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$53.5 CA$73.3

8.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$27.03 CA$37.03

98.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.85 CA$16.23

6.84%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$1,137 CA$1,557

-22.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$18.3K CA$25.0K

-12.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$58.0 CA$79.5

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.22 CA$53.7

22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$88.5 CA$121

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$116 CA$159

-8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,293 CA$1,771

7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,176 CA$1,611

0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,038 CA$2,792

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$2,238 CA$3,066

-16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$4,776 CA$6,543

-20.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$4,115 CA$5,638

-14.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$1,873 CA$2,566

66.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.16

10.66%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Alliston: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,293 in Alliston. 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 66% 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 $70 in Calgary versus $83 in Alliston. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Calgary vs $335 in Alliston – 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

Calgary vs Alliston: 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 $3,650 per month in Calgary and $3,324 in Alliston. 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 18% 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 $70.0 in Calgary and $83.0 in Alliston. 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 $2,216, than in Calgary at $2,433. 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.