Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and La Plata, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,303 a month against $2,441 in La Plata, MD, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in La Plata, MD outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

110

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in La Plata, MD
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La Plata, MD Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,303

/mo nomad

La Plata, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in La Plata, MD

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 La Plata, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Calgary versus $2,441 in La Plata, MD.

Calgary $2,303
La Plata, MD $2,441

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Calgary versus $3,635 in La Plata, MD.

Calgary $3,366
La Plata, MD $3,635

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Calgary versus $4,829 in La Plata, MD.

Calgary $4,428
La Plata, MD $4,829

Living in Calgary costs roughly 6% less than in La Plata, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 69% above, La Plata, MD 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 CA$24.63

$13.52 $13.52

29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 CA$98.8

$90.4 $90.4

-22.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$15.00

$7.62 $7.62

40.29%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.46

$6.29 $6.29

-38.16%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.82 $2.82

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$2.56 $2.56

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 CA$6.87

$3.46 $3.46

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 CA$8.11

$4.96 $4.96

16.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.68 $1.68

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$4.42 $4.42

-38.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 CA$7.67

$6.23 $6.23

-12.36%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.17

$1.81 $1.81

103.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.78

$12.70 $12.70

-11.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.19

$8.81 $8.81

30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 CA$25.79

$13.15 $13.15

39.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CA$6.88

$4.89 $4.89

0.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.65 $1.65

-13.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.91

$6.32 $6.32

-33.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.65

$4.44 $4.44

-9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$3.04 $3.04

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$2.08 $2.08

27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$2.10 $2.10

24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.24

$2.72 $2.72

-41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 CA$19.65

$11.85 $11.85

18.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 CA$21.61

$14.37 $14.37

7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$1.68 $1.68

48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$5.10 $5.10

-39.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.11

$1.94 $1.94

51.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$125

$58.1 $58.1

53.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.59

$2.73 $2.73

19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.67 $1.67

-19.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.39 CA$38.43

$29.72 $29.72

-7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

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

$27.9K CA$39.2K

$32.6K $32.6K

-14.26%

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

$21.0K CA$29.5K

$30.5K $30.5K

-31.12%

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

$167 CA$234

$97.8 $97.8

70.39%

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

$38.27 CA$53.7

$42.02 $42.02

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.5

$73.5 $73.5

-30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 CA$71.5

$40.39 $40.39

26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.17 CA$25.50

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 CA$20.27

$15.14 $15.14

-4.62%

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

$545 CA$766

$1,210 $1,210

-54.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$22.7K

$23.0K $23.0K

-29.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 CA$82.6

$47.79 $47.79

23.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 CA$55.8

$36.43 $36.43

9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 CA$131

$112 $112

-16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$121 $121

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 CA$1,760

$1,575 $1,575

-20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 CA$1,483

$1,284 $1,284

-17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,838

$2,492 $2,492

-18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,286

$2,098 $2,098

-22.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,600 CA$5,053

$3,038 $3,038

18.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,243 CA$4,551

$2,428 $2,428

33.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,115 CA$4,372

$6,502 $6,502

-52.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.25

-27.84%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for La Plata, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$1.1K 45.9%

La Plata, MD

$1.3K 52.6% 21.5% $227

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$393 17.1%

La Plata, MD

$398 16.3% 1.4% $5.6

Eating Out

Calgary

$271 11.8%

La Plata, MD

$255 10.5% 5.8% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$256 11.1%

La Plata, MD

$213 8.7% 16.6% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$136 5.9%

La Plata, MD

$143 5.8% 4.9% $6.7

Getting Around

Calgary

$111 4.8%

La Plata, MD

$77 3.2% 30.7% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$80 3.5%

La Plata, MD

$71 2.9% 11.5% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,254 in Calgary and $1,575 in La Plata, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Plata, MD pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $90 in La Plata, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $398 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇺🇸 La Plata, MD

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

17:00 5:00 PM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

10,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary La Plata, MD 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
La Plata, MD

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 La Plata, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in utilities and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,254 in Calgary versus $1,575 in La Plata, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $545 in Calgary versus $1,210 in La Plata, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70 versus $90 in La Plata, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in La Plata, MD, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Calgary wins on affordability, La Plata, MD on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.