Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Indianapolis, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,232
/mo nomad
Indianapolis, IN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,750
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Indianapolis, IN

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 Indianapolis, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN.

  • Calgary $2,232
  • Indianapolis, IN $2,750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $3,871 in Indianapolis, IN.

  • Calgary $3,363
  • Indianapolis, IN $3,871

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $4,993 in Indianapolis, IN.

  • Calgary $4,493
  • Indianapolis, IN $4,993

Living in Calgary costs roughly 19% less than in Indianapolis, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Indianapolis, IN 105% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.54
$19.81 $19.81
-13.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2 CA$101
$80.4 $80.4
-11.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.56 CA$15.06
$12.06 $12.06
-12.44%
Cappuccino
$3.77 CA$5.38
$5.76 $5.76
-34.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CA$2.73
$3.16 $3.16
-39.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.63
$2.65 $2.65
-30.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 CA$6.93
$6.15 $6.15
-20.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 CA$7.91
$8.03 $8.03
-30.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.68
$0.85 $0.85
121.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 CA$3.89
$3.42 $3.42
-20.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.34 CA$7.61
$4.73 $4.73
12.90%
Eggs
$3.77 CA$5.37
$3.77 $3.77
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.29 CA$16.09
$12.29 $12.29
-8.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.34
$12.34 $12.34
-7.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.26 CA$26.03
$17.28 $17.28
5.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.64 CA$6.62
$5.66 $5.66
-18.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.05
$1.45 $1.45
-0.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 CA$6.02
$4.72 $4.72
-10.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.50
$4.36 $4.36
-11.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 CA$3.74
$2.43 $2.43
7.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.79
$2.85 $2.85
-6.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 CA$3.69
$2.46 $2.46
5.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 CA$2.19
$2.46 $2.46
-37.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.26 CA$20.32
$10.29 $10.29
38.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.27 CA$21.76
$15.51 $15.51
-1.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 CA$3.44
$2.05 $2.05
17.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.41
$3.57 $3.57
-13.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 CA$4.11
$1.78 $1.78
61.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.7 CA$126
$59.1 $59.1
50.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.61
$2.04 $2.04
58.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 CA$1.97
$1.74 $1.74
-20.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.49 CA$37.75
$34.52 $34.52
-23.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 CA$1.68
$0.93 $0.93
26.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K CA$40.3K
$36.7K $36.7K
-23.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K CA$29.5K
$26.2K $26.2K
-20.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 CA$227
$227 $227
-29.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.61 CA$53.6
$59.9 $59.9
-37.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.68 CA$70.8
$64.1 $64.1
-22.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.3 CA$75.9
$40.76 $40.76
30.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.31 CA$26.10
$42.11 $42.11
-56.52%
Cinema Ticket
$14.08 CA$20.06
$15.29 $15.29
-7.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$809 CA$1,154
$1,735 $1,735
-53.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K CA$22.6K
$24.6K $24.6K
-35.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8 CA$83.8
$56.7 $56.7
3.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.84 CA$55.4
$44.53 $44.53
-12.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.4 CA$130
$110 $110
-16.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 CA$155
$142 $142
-23.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,764
$1,708 $1,708
-27.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$996 CA$1,420
$1,344 $1,344
-25.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,908 CA$2,720
$2,716 $2,716
-29.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 CA$2,382
$1,984 $1,984
-15.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,530 CA$5,032
$2,760 $2,760
27.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,336 CA$4,755
$1,859 $1,859
79.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Indianapolis, IN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,130 CA$4,461
$4,573 $4,573
-31.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
6.57
-31.35%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$996
Indianapolis, IN
$1.3K 34.9% $348
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$387
Indianapolis, IN
$405 4.7% $18
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Indianapolis, IN
$334 25.9% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$247
Indianapolis, IN
$351 42.2% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Indianapolis, IN
$159 18.3% $25
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Indianapolis, IN
$77 30.2% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$81
Indianapolis, IN
$71 12.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 46% 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 $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $405 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN
🕒 Local time
05:50 5:50 AM
07:50 7:50 AM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
882,039
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Indianapolis, IN 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Indianapolis, IN

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 Indianapolis, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indianapolis, IN cheaper than Calgary?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Indianapolis, IN?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Indianapolis, IN. 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 Indianapolis, IN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Calgary versus $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in Indianapolis, IN?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Indianapolis, IN?
All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Calgary or in Indianapolis, IN?
At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Calgary or Indianapolis, IN more family-friendly?
For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Indianapolis, IN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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