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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,787 in Karlstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $2,727 in Karlstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $3,666 in Karlstad.

Living in Calgary is roughly 31% more expensive than in Karlstad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Karlstad 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$15.27 SEK 150

15.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$80.9 SEK 797

-11.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.38 SEK 102

4.53%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$4.93 SEK 48.57

-21.91%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.55 SEK 25.09

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.05 SEK 20.17

-12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$8.13 SEK 80.1

-38.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$6.58 SEK 64.8

-10.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$1.53 SEK 15.12

20.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.88 SEK 28.38

-5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$3.70 SEK 36.51

47.03%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$4.55 SEK 44.82

-20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$10.25 SEK 101

12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$14.40 SEK 142

-19.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$18.10 SEK 178

4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.00 SEK 29.58

65.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$2.70 SEK 26.58

-47.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.14 SEK 30.90

34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$5.50 SEK 54.2

-25.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.80 SEK 17.78

42.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$1.74 SEK 17.13

62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.70 SEK 26.63

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.34 SEK 13.23

15.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$7.08 SEK 69.8

106.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$10.15 SEK 100

53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.44 SEK 24.00

5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.06 SEK 20.28

56.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$3.26 SEK 32.12

-9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$81.4 SEK 802

11.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$5.65 SEK 55.7

-43.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.35 SEK 13.30

2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$63.5 SEK 626

-56.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.83 SEK 18.04

-31.69%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

-16.69%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

-35.54%

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

$178 CA$249

$102 SEK 1,005

74.38%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$18.84 SEK 186

108.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$44.60 SEK 440

14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$46.80 SEK 461

16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$17.06 SEK 168

10.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$14.73 SEK 145

-1.22%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$132 SEK 1,298

516.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$93.2 SEK 918

-36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$40.89 SEK 403

-1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$75.5 SEK 744

22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$146 SEK 1,435

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$880 SEK 8,673

45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$596 SEK 5,873

70.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$861 SEK 8,485

102.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

-7.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

17.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

3.94

13.71%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $880 in Karlstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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 $81.0 in Karlstad. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $378, with Karlstad 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 Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Calgary versus $880 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 $81.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $1,787 in Karlstad – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,787 in Karlstad versus $2,344 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 31% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.