Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dortmund Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dortmund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,115 in Dortmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,205 in Dortmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,295 in Dortmund.

Living in Calgary is roughly 11% more expensive than in Dortmund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Dortmund 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$17.52 €15.11

5.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$81.2 €70.0

-11.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$12.62 €10.88

-15.37%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.93 €3.38

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$3.14 €2.71

-35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$3.06 €2.64

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.85 €5.05

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.18 €4.47

13.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.43 €1.24

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.44 €2.10

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.95 €3.40

44.81%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$4.00 €3.44

-4.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$16.07 €13.85

-28.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$12.20 €10.52

-2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$24.50 €21.12

-22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.47 €2.99

41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$2.38 €2.05

-40.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$2.32 €2.00

87.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.21 €3.63

-4.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.31 €1.13

107.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.60 €1.38

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$1.61 €1.39

59.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.14 €0.98

30.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$9.93 €8.56

48.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$6.81 €5.87

128.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.12 €0.97

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$1.77 €1.52

84.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$4.20 €3.62

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$67.3 €58.0

33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$5.87 €5.06

-43.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$2.07 €1.78

-41.06%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$34.1K €29.4K

-16.11%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$39.3K €33.9K

-46.85%

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

$182 CA$253

$427 €368

-57.23%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$32.26 €27.81

22.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$53.2 €45.82

-3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$40.29 €34.73

35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$28.30 €24.39

-33.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$17.33 €14.94

-16.21%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$428 €369

91.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$28.7K €24.7K

-43.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$94.7 €81.6

-34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$53.0 €45.66

-24.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$88.4 €76.2

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$178 €154

-36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$763 €658

64.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$611 €527

78.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,299 €1,120

53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,147 €989

48.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$3,195 €2,754

13.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$2,298 €1,981

48.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,310 €2,853

-1.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

3.95

13.42%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dortmund: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $763 in Dortmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dortmund pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $81.0 in Dortmund. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $365, with Dortmund cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dortmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dortmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Dortmund. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,256 in Calgary versus $763 in Dortmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dortmund – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,115 in Dortmund – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,115 in Dortmund versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dortmund but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dortmund 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 Dortmund 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 Dortmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.