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: $2,481 in Calgary versus $1,779 in Karlstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $2,685 in Karlstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $3,592 in Karlstad.

Living in Calgary is roughly 40% more expensive than in Karlstad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Karlstad 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$15.58 SEK 148

19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$68.9 SEK 655

1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$10.97 SEK 104

2.64%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$4.83 SEK 45.88

-23.40%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.58 SEK 24.54

-20.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.21 SEK 20.98

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$8.25 SEK 78.4

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$8.26 SEK 78.5

-18.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$1.39 SEK 13.17

60.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$3.87 SEK 36.72

-15.25%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$4.78 SEK 45.44

-28.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$12.16 SEK 116

18.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$14.28 SEK 136

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$16.93 SEK 161

-6.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$2.98 SEK 28.28

48.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.55 SEK 24.21

-47.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$3.26 SEK 30.95

17.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$5.08 SEK 48.24

-14.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.65 SEK 15.68

53.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$1.78 SEK 16.87

53.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.69 SEK 25.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.30 SEK 12.36

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$7.30 SEK 69.4

102.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$10.32 SEK 98.1

39.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$1.75 SEK 16.62

68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.70 SEK 16.16

134.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$3.28 SEK 31.18

-17.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$83.6 SEK 794

5.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$5.82 SEK 55.3

-41.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.34 SEK 12.75

-2.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$65.1 SEK 619

-56.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.94 SEK 18.45

-42.27%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

-24.87%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

-37.11%

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

$210 CA$295

$104 SEK 992

101.38%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$29.68 SEK 282

39.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$42.68 SEK 406

35.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$46.46 SEK 441

19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

$17.05 SEK 162

206.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$14.44 SEK 137

-13.64%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$150 SEK 1,422

492.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

406.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$88.1 SEK 837

-32.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$41.71 SEK 396

12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$83.2 SEK 790

4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$147 SEK 1,401

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$589 SEK 5,599

100.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

90.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$906 SEK 8,604

104.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

-3.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,056 in Karlstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlstad pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $69.0 in Karlstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $372 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Karlstad. 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,056 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 $69.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $1,779 in Karlstad – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,779 in Karlstad versus $2,481 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 40% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.