Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $884 a month against $2,297 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,297

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in David

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,297 in Calgary versus $884 in David.

Calgary $2,297
David $884

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,378 in Calgary versus $948 in David.

Calgary $3,378
David $948

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,459 in Calgary versus $1,011 in David.

Calgary $4,459
David $1,011

Living in Calgary is roughly 160% more expensive than in David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 70% above, David is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$25.05

$5.38 PAB 5.38

233.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 CA$96.1

$37.24 PAB 37.24

84.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.27

$7.36 PAB 7.36

48.64%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.17

$3.13 PAB 3.13

18.21%

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

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.54 PAB 1.54

34.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CA$2.85

$1.54 PAB 1.54

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$8.02

$1.97 PAB 1.97

191.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 CA$7.96

$2.73 PAB 2.73

108.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.76

$1.70 PAB 1.70

16.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.70

$2.26 PAB 2.26

17.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 CA$8.15

$2.39 PAB 2.39

144.35%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.33

$2.42 PAB 2.42

57.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$15.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.02 CA$15.38

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 CA$24.95

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.80

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.57

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$1.98 PAB 1.98

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 CA$19.69

Wine (Bottle)

$15.45 CA$21.57

$9.87 PAB 9.87

56.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 CA$3.97

$0.78 PAB 0.78

265.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 CA$126

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.41

$2.92 PAB 2.92

8.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-31.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.46 CA$38.33

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.06 PAB 1.06

11.32%

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

$27.9K CA$38.9K

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

13.40%

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

$21.1K CA$29.4K

$30.1K PAB 30.1K

-30.05%

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

$182 CA$254

$186 PAB 186

-2.50%

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

$36.01 CA$50.3

$28.68 PAB 28.68

25.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.80 CA$68.1

$48.74 PAB 48.74

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 CA$68.1

$31.49 PAB 31.49

54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.15 CA$25.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.26

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

$542 CA$756

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.5K

$5,890 PAB 5,890

259.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.34 CA$59.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 CA$131

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CA$1,694

$352 PAB 352

244.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 CA$1,447

$356 PAB 356

191.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 CA$2,855

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 CA$2,310

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,653 CA$5,099

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,183 CA$4,443

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 CA$4,493

$599 PAB 599

437.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

-36.71%

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

Last update for Calgary: November 2, 2026

Last update for David: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$1K 45.1%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$390 17%

David

–

Eating Out

Calgary

$277 12.1%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$267 11.6%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$137 6%

David

–

Getting Around

Calgary

$112 4.9%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$78 3.4%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Calgary and $352 in David. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays about 5.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $69 in Calgary vs $37 in David for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $87 per month, with David cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

20:59 8:59 PM

21:59 9:59 PM

1 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

82,907

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Calgary David 5,550 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
David

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

David is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Calgary is about 5.4 times higher, 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: $1,214 in Calgary versus $352 in David. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 350% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in David – a meal for two runs $37 versus $69 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $884 in David versus $2,297 in Calgary, a $1,000 budget is realistic in David but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes David 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.

It comes down to priorities – David wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.