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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,353 per month in Calgary vs $2,171 in Alliston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,488 per month in Calgary vs $3,458 in Alliston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,622 per month in Calgary vs $4,744 in Alliston, rent included.

Calgary costs about 8% more than Alliston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Alliston sit above the global median – Calgary by 71%, Alliston by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$18.24 CA$25.24

-1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$86.9 CA$120

-18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$10.81 CA$14.96

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$1.51 CA$2.09

150.99%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.10 CA$2.91

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$1.66 CA$2.30

19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$6.57 CA$9.10

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$7.41 CA$10.25

-20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$2.79 CA$3.86

-30.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.59 CA$3.58

8.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$2.55 CA$3.53

120.00%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.03 CA$4.20

23.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$10.03 CA$13.87

14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$12.30 CA$17.02

-6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$7.29 CA$10.09

159.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$3.78 CA$5.23

27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.19 CA$1.65

15.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.70 CA$5.12

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$3.93 CA$5.44

5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$1.83 CA$2.54

47.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$1.54 CA$2.12

83.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.32 CA$3.21

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$0.68 CA$0.95

122.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$14.19 CA$19.64

2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$7.32 CA$10.13

115.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$2.24 CA$3.10

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$2.53 CA$3.50

21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$2.40 CA$3.32

22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$67.6 CA$93.5

32.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$3.09 CA$4.28

7.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.24 CA$1.72

15.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$22.11 CA$30.60

25.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.03 CA$1.43

22.33%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$27.4K CA$37.9K

5.75%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$20.4K CA$28.2K

4.59%

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

$183 CA$253

$130 CA$180

40.92%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$29.10 CA$40.27

31.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$48.92 CA$67.7

5.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$25.84 CA$35.76

112.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$19.76 CA$27.35

-5.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$11.25 CA$15.57

26.76%

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

$828 CA$1,146

$781 CA$1,081

6.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

$24.2K CA$33.4K

-34.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$56.4 CA$78.0

5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$42.90 CA$59.4

-8.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$104 CA$143

-9.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$127 CA$175

-10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$1,280 CA$1,771

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$1,142 CA$1,580

-7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$1,961 CA$2,713

-1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$2,126 CA$2,941

-20.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$4,388 CA$6,071

-16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$3,357 CA$4,646

-0.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$1,892 CA$2,618

73.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.49

-2.00%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Alliston: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,280 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 73% 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 $71.0 in Calgary versus $87.0 in Alliston. Groceries tell a different story – $397 in Calgary vs $307 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 8%, 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 $3,530 per month in Calgary and $3,257 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 29% 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 $71.0 in Calgary and $87.0 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 $2,171, than in Calgary at $2,353. 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.