Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Havana

For one person, living is cheaper in Havana: $860 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Havana
🇨🇺 Cuba
$860
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Havana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Havana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Calgary versus $860 in Havana.

  • Calgary $2,223
  • Havana $860

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,301 in Calgary versus $1,388 in Havana.

  • Calgary $3,301
  • Havana $1,388

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,379 in Calgary versus $1,916 in Havana.

  • Calgary $4,379
  • Havana $1,916

Living in Calgary is roughly 159% more expensive than in Havana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 65% above, Havana is 36% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.34
$3.59 CUP 86.3
379.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.1 CA$100
$27.63 CUP 663
157.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 CA$14.89
$4.88 CUP 117
115.78%
Cappuccino
$3.66 CA$5.18
$1.06 CUP 25.42
245.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 CA$2.80
$1.51 CUP 36.33
31.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$0.99 CUP 23.80
95.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.95 CA$7.00
$1.24 CUP 29.66
299.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 CA$7.87
$2.05 CUP 49.10
171.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.65
$2.68 CUP 64.3
-29.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.78
$1.22 CUP 29.26
118.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.32 CA$7.52
$1.76 CUP 42.35
202.27%
Eggs
$3.79 CA$5.35
$3.50 CUP 83.9
8.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.09 CA$15.68
$4.52 CUP 108
145.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 CA$16.05
$4.66 CUP 112
143.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.40 CA$26.01
$8.56 CUP 205
114.95%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 CA$6.45
$6.20 CUP 149
-26.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.04
$1.02 CUP 24.55
41.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 CA$5.76
$3.83 CUP 92.0
6.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 CA$5.50
$2.24 CUP 53.8
73.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$2.93 CUP 70.2
-9.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$2.74 CUP 65.7
-3.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 CA$3.54
$0.72 CUP 17.33
247.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$0.57 CUP 13.60
163.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.05 CA$19.86
$1.61 CUP 38.72
772.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.70 CA$22.20
$5.37 CUP 129
192.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$1.77 CUP 42.38
37.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.37
$2.05 CUP 49.30
50.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Havana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$0.63 CUP 15.17
347.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 CA$125
$22.13 CUP 531
300.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 CA$4.41
$2.63 CUP 63.1
18.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$0.33 CUP 7.98
309.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.02 CA$38.20
$19.63 CUP 471
37.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.64
$1.27 CUP 30.50
-8.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.5K
$60.4K CUP 1.5M
-53.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.8K
$59.1K CUP 1.4M
-65.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 CA$227
$46.62 CUP 1,119
244.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.13 CA$53.9
$39.24 CUP 942
-2.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.0 CA$70.7
$89.3 CUP 2,144
-43.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 CA$72.8
$16.35 CUP 392
214.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 CA$25.64
$12.84 CUP 308
41.28%
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 CA$19.54
$0.83 CUP 19.99
1565.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 CA$1,111
$156 CUP 3,752
402.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K CA$21.8K
$12.5K CUP 298.9K
24.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 CA$82.4
$52.2 CUP 1,253
11.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.27 CA$55.5
$41.71 CUP 1,001
-5.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$127
$80.0 CUP 1,919
12.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$67.6 CUP 1,623
62.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Havana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,229 CA$1,737
$246 CUP 5,911
398.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 CA$1,415
$219 CUP 5,245
358.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 CA$2,716
$872 CUP 20.9K
120.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 CA$2,292
$508 CUP 12.2K
219.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,549 CA$5,018
$314 CUP 7,545
1029.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,335 CA$4,715
$407 CUP 9,762
719.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Havana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,165 CA$4,474
$29.60 CUP 710
10591.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
9.1
-50.44%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Havana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1K
Havana
$219 78.2% $783
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$385
Havana
$234 39.3% $151
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Havana
$76 71.2% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$249
Havana
$175 29.6% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Havana
$109 18.7% $25
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Havana
$29 73.6% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$79
Havana
$18 77.2% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Calgary and $246 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 10592% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $28.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $234 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇺 Havana
🕒 Local time
12:06 12:06 PM
14:06 2:06 PM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
2,141,993 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CUP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Cuban Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 24 CUP (100 CUP = 4.17 USD). 1 EUR = 26.98 CUP (100 CUP = 3.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Havana 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Havana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Havana cheaper than Calgary?
Havana is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Havana?
Average pay runs 10592% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and Havana?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Calgary versus $246 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in Havana?
Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Havana?
All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Calgary versus $860 in Havana – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Calgary or in Havana?
At $860 in Havana versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Calgary or in Havana?
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 Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Calgary vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?