Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Knoxville, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,566 in Knoxville, TN, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Knoxville, TN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,232
/mo nomad
Knoxville, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,566
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Knoxville, TN

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 Knoxville, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,566 in Knoxville, TN.

  • Calgary $2,232
  • Knoxville, TN $2,566

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $3,815 in Knoxville, TN.

  • Calgary $3,363
  • Knoxville, TN $3,815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $5,064 in Knoxville, TN.

  • Calgary $4,493
  • Knoxville, TN $5,064

Living in Calgary costs roughly 13% less than in Knoxville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Knoxville, TN 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.54
$17.48 $17.48
-1.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2 CA$101
$76.4 $76.4
-6.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.56 CA$15.06
$10.14 $10.14
4.14%
Cappuccino
$3.77 CA$5.38
$5.35 $5.35
-29.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CA$2.73
$2.69 $2.69
-29.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.63
$2.73 $2.73
-32.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 CA$6.93
$6.31 $6.31
-22.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 CA$7.91
$6.65 $6.65
-16.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.68
$1.08 $1.08
74.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 CA$3.89
$3.48 $3.48
-21.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.34 CA$7.61
$4.76 $4.76
12.18%
Eggs
$3.77 CA$5.37
$4.27 $4.27
-11.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.29 CA$16.09
$9.93 $9.93
13.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.34
$9.34 $9.34
22.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.26 CA$26.03
$15.20 $15.20
20.13%
Apples (1kg)
$4.64 CA$6.62
$6.76 $6.76
-31.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.05
$1.49 $1.49
-3.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 CA$6.02
$2.72 $2.72
55.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.50
$5.47 $5.47
-29.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 CA$3.74
$2.22 $2.22
18.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.79
$4.14 $4.14
-35.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 CA$3.69
$2.33 $2.33
11.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 CA$2.19
$2.19 $2.19
-30.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.26 CA$20.32
$9.84 $9.84
44.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.27 CA$21.76
$14.74 $14.74
3.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 CA$3.44
$1.93 $1.93
24.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.41
$3.11 $3.11
-0.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 CA$4.11
$1.01 $1.01
185.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.7 CA$126
$30.07 $30.07
195.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.61
$4.96 $4.96
-34.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 CA$1.97
$1.58 $1.58
-12.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.49 CA$37.75
$30.43 $30.43
-12.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 CA$1.68
$0.94 $0.94
25.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K CA$40.3K
$37.7K $37.7K
-24.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K CA$29.5K
$27.3K $27.3K
-24.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 CA$227
$219 $219
-27.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.61 CA$53.6
$73.9 $73.9
-49.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.68 CA$70.8
$53.3 $53.3
-6.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.3 CA$75.9
$29.46 $29.46
80.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.31 CA$26.10
$21.85 $21.85
-16.20%
Cinema Ticket
$14.08 CA$20.06
$15.40 $15.40
-8.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$809 CA$1,154
$1,230 $1,230
-34.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K CA$22.6K
$24.0K $24.0K
-34.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8 CA$83.8
$49.76 $49.76
18.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.84 CA$55.4
$45.35 $45.35
-14.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.4 CA$130
$109 $109
-15.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 CA$155
$122 $122
-10.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,764
$1,767 $1,767
-29.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$996 CA$1,420
$1,264 $1,264
-21.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,908 CA$2,720
$2,902 $2,902
-34.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 CA$2,382
$2,166 $2,166
-22.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,530 CA$5,032
$4,689 $4,689
-24.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,336 CA$4,755
$2,267 $2,267
47.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Knoxville, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,130 CA$4,461
$3,623 $3,623
-13.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
6.64
-32.08%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Knoxville, TN: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$996
Knoxville, TN
$1.3K 26.9% $268
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$387
Knoxville, TN
$381 1.7% $6.4
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Knoxville, TN
$301 13.6% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$247
Knoxville, TN
$346 40.3% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Knoxville, TN
$147 9.3% $12
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Knoxville, TN
$47 57.5% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$81
Knoxville, TN
$60 26% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $1,767 in Knoxville, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Knoxville, TN pays 16% 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 $76.0 in Knoxville, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $381, with Knoxville, TN cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇺🇸 Knoxville, TN
🕒 Local time
08:14 8:14 AM
10:14 10:14 AM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
190,740
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Knoxville, TN 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Knoxville, TN

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 Knoxville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Knoxville, TN cheaper than Calgary?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Knoxville, TN?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Knoxville, TN. 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 Knoxville, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Calgary versus $1,767 in Knoxville, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in Knoxville, TN?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $76.0 in Knoxville, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Knoxville, TN?
All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $2,566 in Knoxville, TN – a 15% 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 Knoxville, TN?
At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,566 in Knoxville, TN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Knoxville, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Calgary or Knoxville, TN more family-friendly?
For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Knoxville, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Knoxville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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