Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Lelystad Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Lelystad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,799 in Lelystad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,847 in Lelystad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,894 in Lelystad.

Living in Calgary is roughly 37% more expensive than in Lelystad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Lelystad 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$24.73 €21.65

-25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$91.5 €80.1

-23.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$13.70 €12.00

-20.07%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.92 €3.44

-4.59%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$3.19 €2.80

-36.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.85 €1.62

-9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.11 €4.48

1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.86 €5.13

14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.23 €1.08

82.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$1.64 €1.44

67.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$2.48 €2.17

30.24%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$4.66 €4.08

-25.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$6.75 €5.91

113.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$15.38 €13.47

-16.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$17.67 €15.48

-10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$2.29 €2.00

87.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.54 €2.22

-47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$1.96 €1.72

96.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.55 €3.11

19.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.10 €1.84

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.88 €1.65

39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$1.22 €1.07

129.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$0.83 €0.72

134.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$10.15 €8.89

47.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$6.95 €6.09

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$1.34 €1.18

117.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.39 €2.09

63.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$3.53 €3.09

-22.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$118 €103

-25.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$4.15 €3.64

-13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$2.45 €2.14

-46.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$26.93 €23.59

6.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$2.21 €1.93

-49.32%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$34.1K €29.9K

-25.38%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$38.7K €33.9K

-43.81%

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

$213 CA$300

$239 €209

-10.88%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$14.92 €13.07

174.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$36.65 €32.10

58.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$44.45 €38.93

21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$23.35 €20.45

130.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$14.15 €12.39

-10.74%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$2,716 €2,379

-67.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$6,240 €5,465

154.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$99.7 €87.3

-41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$50.1 €43.87

-6.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$99.0 €86.7

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$120 €105

-10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$693 €607

99.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$458 €401

153.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,406 €1,231

65.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$821 €719

132.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,493 €2,184

17.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

4.28

33.41%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lelystad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $693 in Lelystad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 18% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $92.0 in Lelystad. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $310, with Lelystad 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 Lelystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lelystad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $693 in Lelystad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lelystad – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,799 in Lelystad – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,799 in Lelystad versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lelystad but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Lelystad 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 Lelystad 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 Lelystad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.