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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,042 in Chatham-Kent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,031 in Chatham-Kent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,021 in Chatham-Kent.

Living in Calgary is roughly 24% more expensive than Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Chatham-Kent 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$14.50 CA$20.14

28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$65.7 CA$91.3

6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$9.54 CA$13.25

14.88%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.10 CA$4.31

20.32%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.57 CA$2.18

26.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.60 CA$2.22

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.63 CA$7.82

-11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$6.03 CA$8.38

7.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.24 CA$3.11

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.23 CA$3.10

19.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$2.69 CA$3.74

21.19%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.03 CA$4.21

10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$8.32 CA$11.56

74.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$11.64 CA$16.17

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$11.93 CA$16.57

35.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$4.03 CA$5.60

7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.17 CA$1.63

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.32 CA$4.61

15.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.65 CA$5.07

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.36 CA$3.28

12.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.81 CA$3.91

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.03 CA$2.82

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.58 CA$2.20

23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$11.11 CA$15.44

34.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$10.19 CA$14.15

43.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$1.18 CA$1.64

140.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$2.76 CA$3.83

45.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.81 CA$2.52

54.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$61.7 CA$85.7

39.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$2.18 CA$3.03

65.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.68 CA$2.34

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$18.64 CA$25.90

55.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.06 CA$1.47

5.66%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-0.46%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

7.98%

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

$217 CA$302

$187 CA$260

16.06%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$37.25 CA$51.8

11.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$55.7 CA$77.3

4.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$14.95 CA$20.78

265.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$10.15 CA$14.10

25.81%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$547 CA$760

59.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$10.3K CA$14.3K

55.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$53.0 CA$73.6

11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$26.11 CA$36.28

77.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$69.3 CA$96.3

25.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$88.9 CA$123

22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$1,464 CA$2,035

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$1,029 CA$1,430

13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$1,833 CA$2,547

26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$1,650 CA$2,293

14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$3,169 CA$4,404

-0.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.74

-0.52%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,464 in Chatham-Kent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chatham-Kent pays 1% 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 $66.0 in Chatham-Kent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $317 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chatham-Kent earns 1% less. 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,464 in Chatham-Kent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chatham-Kent – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,042 in Chatham-Kent – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,042 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,523 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 24% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.