Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort McMurray Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort McMurray

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,345 in Fort McMurray.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,430 in Fort McMurray.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,514 in Fort McMurray.

Living in Calgary is roughly 8% more expensive than Fort McMurray, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Fort McMurray 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$25.67 CA$35.55

-27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$59.7 CA$82.7

17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$14.49 CA$20.07

-24.36%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$3.76 CA$5.21

-0.80%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$2.71 CA$3.75

-26.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.66 CA$2.30

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$5.93 CA$8.20

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$5.66 CA$7.84

14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$1.45 CA$2.01

53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.90 CA$4.02

-7.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$2.94 CA$4.07

10.88%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.22 CA$4.46

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$11.49 CA$15.91

26.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$14.52 CA$20.10

-10.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$15.60 CA$21.60

3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$4.00 CA$5.54

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$2.34 CA$3.24

-42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$5.14 CA$7.12

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$6.53 CA$9.05

-35.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$5.17 CA$7.15

-48.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.38 CA$4.68

-18.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.99 CA$4.14

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.34 CA$1.86

45.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$16.51 CA$22.86

-9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$14.37 CA$19.89

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$3.44 CA$4.76

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$2.25 CA$3.12

78.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$1.44 CA$1.99

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$49.86 CA$69.0

72.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.25 CA$4.51

10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.36 CA$1.88

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$22.65 CA$31.36

28.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.06 CA$1.46

5.66%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$25.3K CA$35.1K

-1.93%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$22.9K CA$31.7K

-3.88%

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

$217 CA$301

$199 CA$276

8.96%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$42.00 CA$58.2

-1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$64.5 CA$89.3

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$45.55 CA$63.1

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$14.61 CA$20.22

-12.59%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$961 CA$1,330

-9.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

35.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$72.4 CA$100

-18.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$39.71 CA$55.0

17.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$81.3 CA$113

7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$87.3 CA$121

24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$971 CA$1,345

45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$1,002 CA$1,387

17.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$1,531 CA$2,119

51.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,594 CA$2,206

18.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

$2,759 CA$3,820

41.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

$1,914 CA$2,651

83.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$3,061 CA$4,239

2.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.67

-14.39%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fort McMurray: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $971 in Fort McMurray. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $60.0 in Fort McMurray. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $410, with Calgary 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 McMurray: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort McMurray is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 3% 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $971 in Fort McMurray. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort McMurray – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,345 in Fort McMurray – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,345 in Fort McMurray versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Fort McMurray but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Fort McMurray 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.

Expats usually find Fort McMurray gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.