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: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,713 in Arnhem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,945 in Arnhem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $5,177 in Arnhem.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 13% less than in Arnhem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Arnhem 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.74

$23.54 €20.23

-23.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.3

$91.0 €78.2

-22.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.74

$13.81 €11.87

-22.59%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.22

$4.48 €3.85

-15.40%

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

$2.00 CA$2.76

$3.42 €2.94

-41.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.72

$2.70 €2.32

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.16

$5.72 €4.92

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.08

$5.98 €5.14

-2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$1.25 €1.07

56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$2.05 €1.76

37.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.74

$3.45 €2.97

62.61%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.17

$5.36 €4.61

-30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.86

$13.37 €11.49

-13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.81

$14.85 €12.76

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.14

$16.54 €14.22

14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.66

$2.82 €2.43

71.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$2.50 €2.15

-45.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$1.87 €1.61

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.72

$5.51 €4.74

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$2.00 €1.72

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.90

$2.56 €2.20

10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.64

$1.28 €1.10

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$0.78 €0.67

93.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.14

$14.73 €12.66

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.73

$7.52 €6.46

109.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$1.50 €1.29

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$2.80 €2.40

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$4.62 €3.97

-36.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$123

$115 €99.3

-22.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.58

$4.16 €3.58

-20.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$2.37 €2.03

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.21

$33.82 €29.07

-18.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$2.35 €2.02

-46.38%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$43.3K €37.2K

-33.17%

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

$21.3K CA$29.4K

$40.8K €35.1K

-47.73%

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

$183 CA$252

$289 €248

-36.70%

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

$38.31 CA$52.8

$23.38 €20.10

63.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.3

$45.35 €38.99

13.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.7

$43.15 €37.09

27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.73

$11.72 €10.08

59.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.66

$15.03 €12.92

-5.12%

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

$828 CA$1,142

$1,288 €1,108

-35.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$21.9K

$6,275 €5,395

153.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.1

$99.2 €85.3

-39.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.4

$30.25 €26.01

30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$130

$112 €95.9

-15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$162 €139

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,744

$1,509 €1,297

-16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,450

$1,205 €1,036

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,667

$2,285 €1,964

-15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,344

$1,877 €1,614

-9.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,075

$5,379 €4,624

-31.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,597

$4,357 €3,745

-23.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,518

$3,764 €3,236

-12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

3.95

11.39%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,509 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 15% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $91.0 in Arnhem. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 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 15% in total monthly costs ($2,353 vs $2,713 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,509 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Arnhem pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $91.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,713 in Arnhem, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. 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.

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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.