Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,286 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,230 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,173 in Kingston.

Living in Calgary is roughly 6% more expensive than Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Kingston 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$16.72 CA$22.91

8.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$74.2 CA$102

-5.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.28 CA$15.46

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.69 CA$5.06

1.08%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.90 CA$2.60

4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.44 CA$1.97

14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$6.04 CA$8.28

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.45 CA$8.83

3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.58 CA$3.53

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.54 CA$3.47

5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$4.17 CA$5.71

-18.47%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$2.91 CA$3.99

12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$10.68 CA$14.63

37.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$11.42 CA$15.64

10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$11.41 CA$15.63

41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.56 CA$4.87

25.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.32 CA$1.80

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.01 CA$5.50

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.86 CA$6.66

-11.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$3.54 CA$4.85

-24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.41 CA$3.30

8.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.97 CA$4.07

-7.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.62 CA$2.22

17.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.87 CA$19.00

8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$12.45 CA$17.06

14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.29 CA$3.13

26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.30 CA$4.53

20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.52 CA$3.46

6.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$58.0 CA$79.5

51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.27 CA$4.48

9.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.57 CA$2.16

-14.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$32.56 CA$44.60

-10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.08 CA$1.49

4.63%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.6K CA$33.7K

2.05%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$21.4K CA$29.3K

4.03%

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

$218 CA$299

$130 CA$178

67.93%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$44.36 CA$60.8

-6.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$78.7 CA$108

-26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$32.36 CA$44.33

66.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$9.29 CA$12.73

463.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.18 CA$15.32

13.24%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$446 CA$611

98.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.7K CA$16.0K

37.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$46.10 CA$63.2

26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$35.95 CA$49.25

34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$95.1 CA$130

-7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$92.3 CA$126

15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,289 CA$1,766

8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,189 CA$1,630

-0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,130 CA$2,918

7.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,679 CA$2,301

10.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$3,450 CA$4,726

9.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$2,513 CA$3,443

39.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,086 CA$4,228

1.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.69

-14.65%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,289 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% 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: $70 in Calgary vs $74 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $359, with Kingston 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 1% more on average, 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,289 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kingston – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,286 in Kingston – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,286 in Kingston versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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 Kingston 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 Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.