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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,123 in Dortmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,319 in Dortmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,514 in Dortmund.

Living in Calgary is roughly 16% more expensive than in Dortmund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Dortmund 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$17.30 €15.14

5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$63.2 €55.3

10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$12.62 €11.04

-13.23%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$3.64 €3.19

2.75%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.82 €2.47

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.73 €2.39

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$5.88 €5.14

-11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$4.12 €3.61

62.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$1.17 €1.02

92.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.33 €2.03

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.38 €2.95

-4.44%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$3.75 €3.28

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$14.66 €12.82

-1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$14.20 €12.43

-9.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$18.78 €16.43

-15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$3.25 €2.85

32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.87 €1.64

-28.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$2.38 €2.08

61.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$5.16 €4.51

-17.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.82 €1.59

40.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$1.88 €1.65

39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$1.96 €1.72

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.11 €0.97

75.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$9.63 €8.42

55.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$6.93 €6.06

100.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$1.09 €0.95

167.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$1.69 €1.48

131.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$3.91 €3.42

-29.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$61.8 €54.1

42.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$5.78 €5.05

-37.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.93 €1.69

-32.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$68.9 €60.3

-58.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$2.04 €1.78

-45.10%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$31.5K €27.5K

-19.06%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$37.9K €33.2K

-42.63%

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

$213 CA$299

$428 €374

-50.20%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$36.79 €32.19

11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$55.7 €48.68

4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$44.86 €39.25

20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

$23.01 €20.13

133.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$17.68 €15.47

-28.56%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$426 €373

105.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$28.9K €25.3K

-45.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$95.6 €83.6

-38.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$45.18 €39.53

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$106 €93.0

-20.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$180 €157

-40.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$767 €671

80.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$624 €546

85.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$1,338 €1,171

73.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,361 €1,191

39.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

$3,014 €2,637

25.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

$2,261 €1,978

55.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$3,239 €2,834

-9.24%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dortmund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $767 in Dortmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dortmund pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $63.0 in Dortmund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $351 per month, with Dortmund 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 Dortmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dortmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $767 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 $63.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,123 in Dortmund – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,123 in Dortmund versus $2,462 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 16% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.