Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Castries

For one person, living is cheaper in Castries: $1,413 a month against $2,232 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Castries
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Castries Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Castries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$1,413

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Castries

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 Castries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $1,413 in Castries.

Calgary $2,232
Castries $1,413

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $2,371 in Castries.

Calgary $3,363
Castries $2,371

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $3,330 in Castries.

Calgary $4,493
Castries $3,330

Living in Calgary is roughly 58% more expensive than in Castries, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Castries 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$9.42 EC$25.43

82.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$74.5 EC$201

-4.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$8.41 EC$22.72

25.56%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$3.67 EC$9.90

2.72%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$1.97 EC$5.31

-3.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$1.01 EC$2.73

82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$2.86 EC$7.72

69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$3.28 EC$8.86

69.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$2.02 EC$5.46

-6.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$1.85 EC$4.99

47.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

$1.72 EC$4.65

210.47%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$4.51 EC$12.19

-16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$11.29 EC$30.47

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$9.08 EC$24.51

26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$14.92 EC$40.29

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$8.61 EC$23.25

-46.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$1.62 EC$4.38

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$8.09 EC$21.84

-47.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$14.83 EC$40.04

-73.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$3.50 EC$9.44

-25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$2.06 EC$5.56

29.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$2.20 EC$5.94

17.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$1.28 EC$3.46

19.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

$9.35 EC$25.25

52.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$10.95 EC$29.57

39.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$2.31 EC$6.23

4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$5.70 EC$15.38

-45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$1.08 EC$2.91

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$9.49 EC$25.63

-65.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$1.52 EC$4.11

-22.37%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$26.3K EC$70.9K

7.62%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$36.5K EC$98.6K

-43.22%

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

$159 CA$227

$124 EC$334

28.67%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$89.6 EC$242

-58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$47.85 EC$129

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$42.35 EC$114

25.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

$5.68 EC$15.33

147.89%

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

$809 CA$1,154

$211 EC$570

283.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$83.9 EC$226

-29.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$50.2 EC$135

-22.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$111 EC$299

-17.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$111 EC$299

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$450 EC$1,216

174.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$340 EC$918

193.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$1,184 EC$3,195

61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$708 EC$1,912

135.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

$101 EC$273

3386.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

$63.4 EC$171

5161.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$1,122 EC$3,028

179.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

7.75

-41.81%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Castries: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

Castries

$340 23.7% 65.9% $656

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

Castries

$431 30% 11.2% $43

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Castries

$177 12.4% 33.1% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

Castries

$261 18.2% 5.9% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Castries

$160 11.1% 19.3% $26

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

Castries

$14 * 1% 87.5% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Castries

$54 3.7% 34% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $450 in Castries. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 179% 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 $74.0 in Castries for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $431 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇱🇨 Castries

🕒 Local time

22:53 10:53 PM

00:53 12:53 AM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

22,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.33 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary Castries 6,260 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Castries

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 Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and leisure. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 179% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Calgary versus $450 in Castries. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $809 in Calgary versus $211 in Castries. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Castries – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,413 in Castries versus $2,232 in Calgary, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Castries but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Castries 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.

Expats usually find Castries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.