Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Karlstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Karlstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $1,767 in Karlstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $2,725 in Karlstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,683 in Karlstad.

Living in Calgary is roughly 42% more expensive than Karlstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Karlstad 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$15.54 SEK 144

20.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$67.2 SEK 623

5.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$10.96 SEK 102

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$4.81 SEK 44.62

-21.00%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.57 SEK 23.79

-20.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$2.12 SEK 19.66

-21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$8.27 SEK 76.7

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$8.20 SEK 76.0

-21.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$1.41 SEK 13.07

57.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.85 SEK 26.43

-2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$3.79 SEK 35.12

-10.03%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$4.86 SEK 45.02

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$12.00 SEK 111

20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$13.92 SEK 129

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$17.02 SEK 158

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.09 SEK 28.64

44.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$2.55 SEK 23.67

-49.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.26 SEK 30.20

14.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$4.99 SEK 46.22

-14.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$1.58 SEK 14.69

68.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.74 SEK 16.10

54.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$2.62 SEK 24.29

4.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.27 SEK 11.80

54.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$7.25 SEK 67.2

100.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$10.87 SEK 101

34.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$1.76 SEK 16.28

59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$1.71 SEK 15.88

133.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$3.20 SEK 29.63

-14.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$85.0 SEK 788

1.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$5.69 SEK 52.7

-37.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.36 SEK 12.61

-5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$64.2 SEK 595

-55.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$2.01 SEK 18.67

-46.27%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$32.0K SEK 296.4K

-20.46%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$34.0K SEK 315.0K

-36.58%

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

$215 CA$294

$108 SEK 1,001

98.72%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$29.61 SEK 274

37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$42.92 SEK 398

34.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$46.25 SEK 429

16.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

$17.56 SEK 163

194.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$14.65 SEK 136

-14.27%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$150 SEK 1,389

481.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$3,178 SEK 29.5K

406.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$86.7 SEK 804

-32.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$42.09 SEK 390

11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$80.7 SEK 748

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$147 SEK 1,363

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,046 SEK 9,695

32.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$572 SEK 5,303

106.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

88.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$882 SEK 8,172

113.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$3,375 SEK 31.3K

-7.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

4.8

18.96%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,046 in Karlstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlstad pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $67.0 in Karlstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $371 per month, with Karlstad cheaper across the board.

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 Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Karlstad earns 8% 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: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,046 in Karlstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Karlstad – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $1,767 in Karlstad – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,767 in Karlstad versus $2,510 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Karlstad but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Karlstad 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Karlstad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karlstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.