Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cornwall, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cornwall, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,026 in Cornwall, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,995 in Cornwall, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,963 in Cornwall, ON.

Living in Calgary is roughly 25% more expensive than Cornwall, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Cornwall, ON 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$14.89 CA$20.71

24.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$67.4 CA$93.7

3.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$12.04 CA$16.74

-8.97%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.36 CA$6.06

-14.45%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.07 CA$2.88

-3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.43 CA$1.99

20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.96 CA$8.28

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.60 CA$7.79

16.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.57 CA$3.57

-13.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.38 CA$3.30

12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$2.72 CA$3.78

19.85%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$2.67 CA$3.72

25.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$5.12 CA$7.12

183.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$10.51 CA$14.61

23.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$15.22 CA$21.17

6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$5.97 CA$8.30

-27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.75 CA$2.44

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.39 CA$4.71

12.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.78 CA$5.25

10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.52 CA$3.50

5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$3.31 CA$4.61

-17.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.27 CA$1.77

117.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.19 CA$1.65

63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$10.62 CA$14.77

41.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$12.45 CA$17.31

17.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.29 CA$4.57

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.67 CA$5.11

9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.24 CA$3.12

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$48.04 CA$66.8

79.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.99 CA$4.15

20.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.02 CA$1.42

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$26.11 CA$36.31

11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.13 CA$1.57

-0.88%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$22.1K CA$30.7K

12.67%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.1K CA$28.0K

9.25%

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

$217 CA$302

$93.5 CA$130

132.24%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$44.67 CA$62.1

-6.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$46.81 CA$65.1

24.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$31.87 CA$44.32

71.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$12.95 CA$18.02

307.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$11.21 CA$15.59

13.92%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$506 CA$703

72.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.8K CA$16.4K

34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$55.2 CA$76.8

6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$57.8 CA$80.4

-19.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$101 CA$141

-13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$93.1 CA$130

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,091 CA$1,518

29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$963 CA$1,340

21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$2,110 CA$2,934

9.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,578 CA$2,194

19.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$2,544 CA$3,538

52.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$2,143 CA$2,980

63.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,063 CA$4,259

2.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.53

-12.56%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cornwall, ON: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,091 in Cornwall, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $67.0 in Cornwall, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $340 per month, with Cornwall, ON 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 Cornwall, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cornwall, ON is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 3% more on average, 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,091 in Cornwall, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cornwall, ON – a meal for two runs $67.0 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 $2,026 in Cornwall, ON – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,026 in Cornwall, ON versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cornwall, ON but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cornwall, ON 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 Cornwall, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.