Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Arnhem Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Arnhem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,259 in Arnhem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,391 in Arnhem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,523 in Arnhem.

Living in Calgary is roughly 9% more expensive than in Arnhem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Arnhem 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$18.42 €16.13

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$71.0 €62.2

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$13.30 €11.65

-17.67%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.24 €3.72

-11.79%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$3.18 €2.78

-35.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$2.50 €2.19

-33.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$6.38 €5.59

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.23 €4.58

28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.23 €1.07

82.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.39 €2.09

15.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.26 €2.85

-0.92%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$4.91 €4.30

-29.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$13.69 €11.99

5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$16.68 €14.61

-22.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$16.82 €14.73

-5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$2.38 €2.09

80.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.62 €2.30

-48.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$1.89 €1.66

103.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$4.14 €3.62

2.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.10 €1.84

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.17 €1.90

20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$1.28 €1.12

118.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$0.72 €0.63

170.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$14.28 €12.51

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$6.95 €6.09

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$1.39 €1.22

110.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.75 €2.41

42.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$4.31 €3.77

-36.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$114 €99.5

-22.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.95 €3.46

-8.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$2.64 €2.31

-50.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$27.46 €24.05

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$2.22 €1.95

-49.55%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$37.4K €32.8K

-31.88%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$38.7K €33.9K

-43.82%

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

$213 CA$300

$264 €231

-19.32%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$30.28 €26.52

35.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$53.9 €47.20

7.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$42.52 €37.24

27.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$7.63 €6.69

604.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$15.19 €13.30

-16.85%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$1,842 €1,613

-52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$6,253 €5,477

153.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$93.2 €81.6

-37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$17.32 €15.17

171.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$85.8 €75.1

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$91.6 €80.2

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,158 €1,014

19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$878 €769

32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$2,063 €1,807

12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,635 €1,432

16.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$5,406 €4,735

-29.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$4,261 €3,732

-17.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$3,726 €3,263

-21.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

3.25

75.69%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,158 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $71.0 in Arnhem. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $350, with Arnhem cheaper for home cooking.

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 Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary and Arnhem differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,462 vs $2,259 including rent). Arnhem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Arnhem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,158 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Arnhem – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,259 in Arnhem versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arnhem but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Arnhem 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arnhem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.