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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,395 in Fort McMurray.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,439 in Fort McMurray.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,483 in Fort McMurray.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than in Fort McMurray, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Fort McMurray 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$26.07 CA$36.55

-29.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$57.9 CA$81.2

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$14.87 CA$20.85

-26.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$3.81 CA$5.35

-1.84%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.72 CA$3.81

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.70 CA$2.39

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$6.01 CA$8.43

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$5.81 CA$8.14

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$1.47 CA$2.07

53.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.85 CA$4.00

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$2.79 CA$3.91

15.77%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$3.16 CA$4.43

9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$11.28 CA$15.82

27.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$14.35 CA$20.12

-10.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$15.61 CA$21.89

1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$4.15 CA$5.81

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.33 CA$3.26

-42.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$4.99 CA$7.00

-22.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$6.47 CA$9.07

-34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$5.27 CA$7.39

-51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$3.49 CA$4.90

-24.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$2.93 CA$4.10

-4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.33 CA$1.86

46.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$16.44 CA$23.05

-8.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$14.11 CA$19.78

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$3.41 CA$4.78

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$2.18 CA$3.06

79.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$1.44 CA$2.01

90.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$49.23 CA$69.0

78.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$3.27 CA$4.58

10.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.35 CA$1.89

-3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$23.02 CA$32.27

24.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.08 CA$1.51

3.70%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$25.1K CA$35.2K

1.50%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$22.7K CA$31.8K

-4.21%

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

$213 CA$299

$197 CA$276

8.04%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$41.99 CA$58.9

-2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$64.0 CA$89.8

-9.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$45.58 CA$63.9

18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$14.46 CA$20.27

-12.66%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$970 CA$1,360

-9.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.6K CA$16.2K

37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$70.9 CA$99.4

-17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$40.31 CA$56.5

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$80.9 CA$113

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$87.8 CA$123

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$961 CA$1,348

43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$999 CA$1,401

16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$1,553 CA$2,177

49.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,607 CA$2,254

18.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

$2,610 CA$3,659

45.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

$1,920 CA$2,692

82.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$3,010 CA$4,220

-2.33%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort McMurray: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $961 in Fort McMurray. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort McMurray 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $58.0 in Fort McMurray. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $407, 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Fort McMurray. 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 $961 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 $58.0 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 $2,395 in Fort McMurray – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,395 in Fort McMurray versus $2,462 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 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.