Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort Erie, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort Erie, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,151 in Fort Erie, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,188 in Fort Erie, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,226 in Fort Erie, ON.

Living in Calgary is roughly 17% more expensive than Fort Erie, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Fort Erie, ON 60% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.59 CA$25.74
$14.80 CA$20.49
25.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.0 CA$97.0
$74.2 CA$103
-5.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.96 CA$15.17
$10.44 CA$14.46
4.98%
Cappuccino
$3.73 CA$5.17
$3.42 CA$4.74
9.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 CA$2.75
$1.59 CA$2.21
25.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 CA$2.39
$1.32 CA$1.83
30.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.01 CA$6.94
$5.47 CA$7.57
-8.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.50 CA$9.01
$5.24 CA$7.25
24.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CA$3.08
$1.77 CA$2.45
25.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.69
$2.26 CA$3.12
18.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.52
$4.31 CA$5.96
-24.36%
Eggs
$3.35 CA$4.64
$3.26 CA$4.52
2.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 CA$20.07
$5.80 CA$8.03
150.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.95 CA$17.93
$10.11 CA$13.99
28.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.15 CA$22.36
$11.52 CA$15.95
40.19%
Apples (1kg)
$4.32 CA$5.98
$2.90 CA$4.01
48.97%
Banana (1kg)
$1.35 CA$1.88
$1.09 CA$1.51
23.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 CA$5.30
$2.67 CA$3.69
43.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.18 CA$5.79
$3.19 CA$4.42
31.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 CA$3.67
$1.65 CA$2.28
60.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 CA$3.79
$2.53 CA$3.50
8.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.76 CA$3.82
$1.75 CA$2.42
57.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 CA$2.70
$2.18 CA$3.02
-10.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.98 CA$20.74
$13.20 CA$18.28
13.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.67 CA$20.31
$10.14 CA$14.04
44.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 CA$3.94
$2.24 CA$3.10
26.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 CA$5.56
$2.35 CA$3.25
71.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.80 CA$3.88
$2.63 CA$3.64
6.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.2 CA$119
$62.9 CA$87.1
37.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 CA$4.99
$3.29 CA$4.55
9.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 CA$1.82
$1.20 CA$1.66
10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.01 CA$40.17
$28.19 CA$39.04
2.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 CA$1.55
$1.12 CA$1.55
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K CA$34.4K
$24.9K CA$34.5K
-0.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K CA$30.4K
$20.2K CA$28.0K
8.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 CA$301
$122 CA$169
77.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.55 CA$57.5
$43.49 CA$60.2
-4.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.1 CA$80.4
$40.28 CA$55.8
44.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 CA$75.8
$41.08 CA$56.9
33.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$52.8 CA$73.1
$22.51 CA$31.17
134.65%
Cinema Ticket
$12.77 CA$17.68
$14.11 CA$19.54
-9.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$874 CA$1,210
$675 CA$934
29.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K CA$22.1K
$14.9K CA$20.7K
6.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8 CA$81.5
$58.1 CA$80.4
1.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.47 CA$64.4
$40.08 CA$55.5
15.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.2 CA$121
$85.9 CA$119
1.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 CA$151
$73.2 CA$101
48.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,414 CA$1,957
$1,322 CA$1,831
6.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,172 CA$1,623
$1,187 CA$1,643
-1.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,319 CA$3,211
$1,992 CA$2,757
16.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,886 CA$2,612
$1,815 CA$2,513
3.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,892 CA$5,389
$3,301 CA$4,570
17.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,503 CA$4,851
$2,134 CA$2,955
64.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Fort Erie, ON
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,149 CA$4,360
$5,679 CA$7,863
-44.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.71
6.83
-16.40%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fort Erie, ON: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,322 in Fort Erie, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Erie, ON pays 80% 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 $74.0 in Fort Erie, ON. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $300, with Fort Erie, ON 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 Fort Erie, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Erie, ON cheaper than Calgary?
Fort Erie, ON is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Fort Erie, ON?
On paper, Fort Erie, ON earns 80% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and Fort Erie, ON?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,322 in Fort Erie, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or Fort Erie, ON?
Dining out is cheaper in Fort Erie, ON – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary vs Fort Erie, ON?
All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,151 in Fort Erie, ON – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Calgary or Fort Erie, ON?
At $2,151 in Fort Erie, ON versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fort Erie, ON but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Erie, ON the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Calgary or Fort Erie, ON?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fort Erie, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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