Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dartmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dartmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,050 in Dartmouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,065 in Dartmouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $4,080 in Dartmouth.

Living in Calgary is roughly 15% more expensive than in Dartmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Dartmouth 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.74

$10.99 CA$15.16

63.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.3

$62.3 CA$86.0

13.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.74

$7.15 CA$9.86

49.51%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.73 CA$5.14

1.61%

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

$2.00 CA$2.76

$2.07 CA$2.86

-3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.72

$1.87 CA$2.58

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.16

$4.44 CA$6.12

16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.08

$5.88 CA$8.11

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$2.44 CA$3.36

-20.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$2.11 CA$2.90

33.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.74

$3.52 CA$4.85

59.38%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.17

$3.69 CA$5.09

1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.86

$7.78 CA$10.72

47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.81

$9.27 CA$12.78

23.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.14

$11.07 CA$15.26

71.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.66

$3.67 CA$5.06

31.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.62 CA$2.23

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$4.79 CA$6.61

-11.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.72

$5.62 CA$7.75

-26.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$1.99 CA$2.75

35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.90

$2.19 CA$3.01

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.64

$2.57 CA$3.54

2.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$2.14 CA$2.95

-29.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.14

$14.24 CA$19.64

2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.73

$14.15 CA$19.52

11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$3.47 CA$4.79

-25.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$4.00 CA$5.51

-23.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$1.95 CA$2.69

50.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$123

$62.0 CA$85.5

43.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.58

$2.95 CA$4.06

12.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.35 CA$1.86

5.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.21

$21.83 CA$30.10

26.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.11 CA$1.53

13.51%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$28.0K CA$38.6K

3.28%

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

$21.3K CA$29.4K

$19.6K CA$27.1K

8.80%

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

$183 CA$252

$79.5 CA$110

130.26%

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

$38.31 CA$52.8

$41.74 CA$57.6

-8.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.3

$66.0 CA$91.0

-21.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.7

$36.67 CA$50.6

49.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.73

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.66

$13.10 CA$18.07

8.85%

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

$828 CA$1,142

$380 CA$524

118.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$21.9K

$13.8K CA$19.1K

14.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.1

$41.23 CA$56.9

44.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.4

$34.05 CA$46.96

15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$130

$68.3 CA$94.1

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$74.8 CA$103

50.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,744

$1,242 CA$1,713

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,450

$1,073 CA$1,480

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,667

$2,020 CA$2,786

-4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,344

$1,859 CA$2,564

-8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,075

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,597

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,518

$2,629 CA$3,625

24.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.6

-4.35%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,242 in Dartmouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 25% 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 $62.0 in Dartmouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $352 per month, with Dartmouth 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 Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dartmouth is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% 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 $1,242 in Dartmouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dartmouth – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,353 per month in Calgary versus $2,050 in Dartmouth – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,050 in Dartmouth versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dartmouth but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dartmouth 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 Dartmouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.