Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cold Lake Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cold Lake

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $1,932 in Cold Lake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $2,895 in Cold Lake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $3,859 in Cold Lake.

Living in Calgary is roughly 22% more expensive than in Cold Lake, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Cold Lake 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.84

$20.15 CA$27.90

-10.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.7

$59.8 CA$82.8

17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.80

$10.06 CA$13.93

6.26%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.87 CA$5.36

-2.07%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.22 CA$3.07

-9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$1.41 CA$1.95

40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.19

$5.72 CA$7.91

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$6.63 CA$9.18

-11.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.16 CA$1.60

68.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.26 CA$3.13

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$3.05 CA$4.23

83.93%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.20

$3.16 CA$4.37

18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.93

$11.18 CA$15.48

2.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.87

$11.68 CA$16.17

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.24

$18.75 CA$25.95

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$3.57 CA$4.94

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.13 CA$1.56

21.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$2.86 CA$3.96

48.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.75

$2.62 CA$3.63

58.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.24 CA$3.10

20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.92

$1.05 CA$1.46

169.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.49 CA$3.45

6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.84 CA$2.54

-17.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.22

$12.01 CA$16.63

21.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.82

$11.71 CA$16.22

34.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$3.57 CA$4.94

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.27

$3.02 CA$4.18

1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.60

$3.03 CA$4.20

9.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.42 CA$1.97

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.36

$21.96 CA$30.40

26.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.04 CA$1.44

21.15%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

2.41%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$20.1K CA$27.8K

6.23%

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

$183 CA$253

$231 CA$320

-20.91%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$41.34 CA$57.2

-7.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.6

$55.6 CA$77.0

-7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$76.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.84

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.74

$13.37 CA$18.51

6.66%

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

$828 CA$1,147

$777 CA$1,076

6.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

$9,577 CA$13.3K

66.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.5

$29.08 CA$40.27

104.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.7

$35.70 CA$49.43

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$54.6 CA$75.7

72.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$91.5 CA$127

23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,751

$898 CA$1,244

40.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,455

$861 CA$1,192

22.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,678

$1,583 CA$2,192

22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,354

$1,454 CA$2,013

16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,096

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,616

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,536

$3,099 CA$4,291

5.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.32

1.85%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cold Lake: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $898 in Cold Lake. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% 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 $60.0 in Cold Lake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $344 per month, with Cold Lake 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 Cold Lake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cold Lake is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $898 in Cold Lake. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $828 in Calgary versus $777 in Cold Lake. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cold Lake – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,932 in Cold Lake versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cold Lake but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cold Lake 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 Cold Lake gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.