Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dessau Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dessau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Calgary versus $1,819 in Dessau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Calgary versus $2,959 in Dessau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,715 in Calgary versus $4,099 in Dessau.

Living in Calgary is roughly 36% more expensive than Dessau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 85% above, Dessau 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.00

$19.15 €16.33

-4.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$57.0 €48.60

22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 CA$15.24

$12.11 €10.33

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.23

$3.72 €3.17

2.69%

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

$1.96 CA$2.69

$2.69 €2.30

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.27

$3.07 €2.62

-46.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$6.95

$5.10 €4.35

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$8.98

$3.93 €3.36

66.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.23 €1.05

75.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$2.33 €1.99

16.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.41 €2.91

-3.23%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.87 €3.30

-12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.76

$14.74 €12.57

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 CA$17.40

$14.34 €12.23

-11.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.07

$24.12 €20.57

-33.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.06

$2.91 €2.48

51.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.73 €1.48

-24.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$2.24 €1.91

72.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.07

$4.80 €4.10

-7.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$1.45 €1.23

76.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.54

$1.54 €1.31

67.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.08 €1.77

30.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.58

$1.27 €1.08

48.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.81

$9.23 €7.87

56.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 CA$19.83

$7.19 €6.13

101.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.83

$0.97 €0.82

188.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$1.62 €1.38

145.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$2.21 €1.89

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 CA$117

$62.0 €52.9

37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$5.15 €4.39

-33.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$2.66 €2.27

-48.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 CA$39.97

$34.69 €29.59

-15.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.97 €1.68

-44.67%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$32.0K €27.3K

-23.09%

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

$21.8K CA$29.8K

$40.0K €34.1K

-45.55%

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

$211 CA$289

$321 €274

-34.34%

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

$41.13 CA$56.4

$11.61 €9.91

254.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CA$79.9

$54.4 €46.43

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$73.7

$31.67 €27.01

69.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 CA$72.4

$23.20 €19.79

127.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 CA$17.37

$12.78 €10.90

-0.78%

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

$875 CA$1,199

$231 €197

278.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$21.9K

$11.7K €9,961

36.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.5

$93.5 €79.8

-37.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 CA$64.5

$50.7 €43.28

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$120

$157 €134

-44.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$146

$192 €164

-44.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,940

$457 €390

209.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 CA$1,604

$382 €326

206.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,135

$739 €630

209.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 CA$2,523

$1,232 €1,051

49.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 CA$5,093

$3,540 €3,019

5.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,594 CA$4,924

$1,831 €1,562

96.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,131 CA$4,289

$2,346 €2,001

33.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

3.98

43.47%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 21, 2026

Last update for Dessau: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $457 in Dessau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 33% 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 in Calgary vs $57 in Dessau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $364 per month, with Dessau 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 Dessau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dessau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 33% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $457 in Dessau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dessau – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,475 per month in Calgary versus $1,819 in Dessau – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,819 in Dessau versus $2,475 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dessau but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dessau 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Dessau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dessau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.