Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Kingston upon Thames

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,223 a month against $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Kingston upon Thames
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,276
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Kingston upon Thames

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 Kingston upon Thames actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Calgary versus $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Calgary $2,223
  • Kingston upon Thames $3,276

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,301 in Calgary versus $4,746 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Calgary $3,301
  • Kingston upon Thames $4,746

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,379 in Calgary versus $6,216 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Calgary $4,379
  • Kingston upon Thames $6,216

Living in Calgary costs roughly 32% less than in Kingston upon Thames, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 65% above, Kingston upon Thames 143% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.34
$22.10 £16.58
-22.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.1 CA$100
$86.6 £65.0
-17.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 CA$14.89
$10.42 £7.82
1.06%
Cappuccino
$3.66 CA$5.18
$5.46 £4.09
-32.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 CA$2.80
$3.00 £2.25
-34.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$1.80 £1.35
7.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.95 CA$7.00
$9.20 £6.91
-46.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 CA$7.87
$7.91 £5.93
-29.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.65
$1.68 £1.26
11.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.78
$1.73 £1.30
54.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.32 CA$7.52
$2.45 £1.84
117.14%
Eggs
$3.79 CA$5.35
$4.91 £3.68
-22.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.09 CA$15.68
$8.46 £6.35
31.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 CA$16.05
$8.72 £6.54
30.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.40 CA$26.01
$12.99 £9.74
41.65%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 CA$6.45
$3.13 £2.35
45.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.04
$1.35 £1.01
6.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 CA$5.76
$2.61 £1.96
56.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 CA$5.50
$2.90 £2.18
34.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$1.67 £1.25
58.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$1.71 £1.28
54.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 CA$3.54
$1.24 £0.93
101.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$1.80 £1.35
-16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.05 CA$19.86
$23.28 £17.46
-39.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.70 CA$22.20
$9.31 £6.99
68.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$3.09 £2.32
-21.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.37
$4.45 £3.34
-30.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$2.37 £1.78
18.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 CA$125
$42.49 £31.88
108.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 CA$4.41
$4.91 £3.69
-36.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$1.43 £1.07
-5.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.02 CA$38.20
$23.70 £17.78
14.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.64
$1.98 £1.49
-41.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.5K
$37.7K £28.3K
-25.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.8K
$39.8K £29.9K
-48.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 CA$227
$371 £278
-56.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.13 CA$53.9
$15.63 £11.73
143.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.0 CA$70.7
$40.78 £30.60
22.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 CA$72.8
$102 £76.8
-49.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 CA$25.64
$10.49 £7.87
72.93%
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 CA$19.54
$19.46 £14.60
-28.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 CA$1,111
$2,594 £1,946
-69.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K CA$21.8K
$22.2K £16.6K
-30.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 CA$82.4
$114 £85.7
-49.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.27 CA$55.5
$53.6 £40.19
-26.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$127
$78.1 £58.6
14.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$106 £79.7
3.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,229 CA$1,737
$2,035 £1,527
-39.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 CA$1,415
$1,832 £1,374
-45.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 CA$2,716
$3,567 £2,676
-46.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 CA$2,292
$3,164 £2,374
-48.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,549 CA$5,018
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,335 CA$4,715
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,165 CA$4,474
$5,303 £3,978
-40.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.74
-4.85%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1K
Kingston upon Thames
$1.8K 83% $831
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$385
Kingston upon Thames
$298 22.6% $87
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Kingston upon Thames
$355 33.9% $90
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$249
Kingston upon Thames
$427 71.5% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Kingston upon Thames
$158 18.5% $25
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Kingston upon Thames
$64 41.7% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$79
Kingston upon Thames
$141 78.6% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Calgary and $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 68% 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 $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames. Groceries flip the comparison at $385 vs $298, with Kingston upon Thames cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇬🇧 Kingston upon Thames
🕒 Local time
11:55 11:55 AM
18:55 6:55 PM
7 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
43,013
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Kingston upon Thames 7,030 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Kingston upon Thames

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 Kingston upon Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kingston upon Thames cheaper than Calgary?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Kingston upon Thames?
On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Kingston upon Thames. 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 Kingston upon Thames?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Calgary versus $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in Kingston upon Thames?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Kingston upon Thames?
All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Calgary versus $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames – a 47% 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 Kingston upon Thames?
At $2,223 in Calgary versus $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Kingston upon Thames. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Calgary or Kingston upon Thames more family-friendly?
For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kingston upon Thames, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Calgary or Kingston upon Thames?
Safety-wise, Calgary and Kingston upon Thames are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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