Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Chatham-Kent Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Chatham-Kent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,989 in Chatham-Kent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $2,837 in Chatham-Kent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $3,685 in Chatham-Kent.

Living in Calgary is roughly 18% more expensive than in Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Chatham-Kent 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$17.96 CA$24.90

2.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$57.0 CA$79.1

25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$10.16 CA$14.09

5.12%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$2.96 CA$4.10

32.77%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.60 CA$2.23

26.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.34 CA$1.86

47.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.16 CA$7.15

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.83 CA$8.08

1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.11 CA$1.54

82.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.59 CA$2.21

79.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$2.52 CA$3.50

126.98%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$2.87 CA$3.99

32.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$11.32 CA$15.70

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$15.56 CA$21.58

-23.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$16.42 CA$22.77

15.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.68 CA$5.10

33.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.18 CA$1.63

20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.62 CA$5.02

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$3.61 CA$5.01

11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.35 CA$1.87

101.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.86 CA$2.58

54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$1.71 CA$2.37

50.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.28 CA$1.78

16.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$12.84 CA$17.81

14.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$10.12 CA$14.03

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.18 CA$1.63

113.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$1.17 CA$1.62

179.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.77 CA$2.46

66.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.51 CA$3.48

31.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.76 CA$2.44

-22.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$29.32 CA$40.67

-7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.10 CA$1.52

10.91%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

0.50%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$19.2K CA$26.6K

8.74%

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

$182 CA$253

$144 CA$200

26.34%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$29.80 CA$41.32

32.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$46.12 CA$64.0

11.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.48 CA$15.92

26.48%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$555 CA$769

47.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$16.3K CA$22.6K

0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$57.0 CA$79.1

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$30.74 CA$42.63

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$82.8 CA$115

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$74.7 CA$104

52.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,397 CA$1,938

-10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$999 CA$1,386

8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,796 CA$2,491

11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,602 CA$2,221

6.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,194 CA$4,430

1.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

5.05

-11.29%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,397 in Chatham-Kent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% 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 $57.0 in Chatham-Kent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $326 per month, with Chatham-Kent cheaper across the board.

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 Chatham-Kent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham-Kent is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,397 in Chatham-Kent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $819 in Calgary versus $555 in Chatham-Kent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chatham-Kent – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,989 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chatham-Kent but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Chatham-Kent 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 Chatham-Kent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.