Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Grimsby Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Grimsby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,518 in Grimsby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,499 in Grimsby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,481 in Grimsby.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Grimsby; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Grimsby 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$18.18 CA$25.26

2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$77.7 CA$108

-9.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$11.13 CA$15.47

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.60 CA$5.00

3.61%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.02 CA$2.81

-1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.54 CA$2.14

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$6.04 CA$8.40

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$6.76 CA$9.40

-3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$3.03 CA$4.20

-26.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.90 CA$4.03

-7.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$4.30 CA$5.98

-24.19%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.40 CA$4.73

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$13.48 CA$18.73

7.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$9.64 CA$13.40

34.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$11.30 CA$15.70

42.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$2.89 CA$4.02

49.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$2.06 CA$2.86

-34.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.58 CA$4.98

6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.55 CA$4.93

17.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.87 CA$2.60

41.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.88 CA$4.00

-4.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.67 CA$2.33

65.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.15 CA$2.99

-9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$13.92 CA$19.35

7.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$12.61 CA$17.52

16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.20 CA$3.06

29.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$2.22 CA$3.08

81.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.39 CA$3.32

17.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$61.8 CA$85.9

39.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.19 CA$4.43

12.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.26 CA$1.75

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$21.75 CA$30.22

33.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.15 CA$1.60

-2.61%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-0.54%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$21.2K CA$29.5K

3.47%

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

$217 CA$302

$159 CA$220

36.97%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$53.1 CA$73.7

-21.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$70.7 CA$98.2

-17.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$42.03 CA$58.4

30.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$8.76 CA$12.17

45.78%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$727 CA$1,009

20.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$18.3K CA$25.4K

-12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$72.9 CA$101

-19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$39.83 CA$55.3

16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$114 CA$159

-23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$111 CA$155

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$1,339 CA$1,860

5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$1,314 CA$1,826

-10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$1,892 CA$2,629

22.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$1,824 CA$2,534

3.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$4,395 CA$6,107

-28.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.4

-10.78%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Grimsby: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,339 in Grimsby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimsby pays 40% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $78.0 in Grimsby. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $356, with Grimsby 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 Grimsby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Grimsby earns 40% less. 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,339 in Grimsby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $874 in Calgary versus $727 in Grimsby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Grimsby – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,518 in Grimsby versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Grimsby but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Grimsby 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.

It comes down to priorities – Grimsby wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.