Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,471 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $3,488 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,506 in London.

Living in Calgary is roughly 2% more expensive than London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, London 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$18.58 CA$25.46

0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$72.9 CA$99.9

-2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$10.27 CA$14.07

5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.58 CA$4.91

6.15%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$1.90 CA$2.60

7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$1.86 CA$2.55

-10.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.93 CA$8.13

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$6.79 CA$9.30

-5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$1.69 CA$2.32

31.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.39 CA$3.28

16.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$3.37 CA$4.61

1.19%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$3.38 CA$4.63

2.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$9.81 CA$13.44

46.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$12.18 CA$16.69

5.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$9.03 CA$12.38

79.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.48 CA$6.14

-0.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.37 CA$1.87

-5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.61 CA$4.94

3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$3.86 CA$5.29

10.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$1.69 CA$2.32

57.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.05 CA$2.81

30.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$2.11 CA$2.89

30.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.43 CA$1.96

37.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$12.47 CA$17.08

16.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$13.28 CA$18.20

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$2.15 CA$2.95

30.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$2.58 CA$3.53

54.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.34 CA$3.21

17.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$81.9 CA$112

5.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$4.09 CA$5.61

-12.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.75 CA$2.40

-26.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$31.05 CA$42.54

-7.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.11 CA$1.53

-2.70%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

0.55%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$20.4K CA$27.9K

5.73%

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

$215 CA$294

$143 CA$196

49.97%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$46.69 CA$64.0

-12.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$58.4 CA$80.0

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$42.26 CA$57.9

27.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

$7.32 CA$10.03

606.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$11.02 CA$15.10

13.97%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$554 CA$759

57.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$14.2K CA$19.5K

13.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$55.3 CA$75.7

6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$46.60 CA$63.8

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$85.6 CA$117

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$80.9 CA$111

34.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,457 CA$1,997

-4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$1,308 CA$1,792

-9.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$2,574 CA$3,526

-9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$1,999 CA$2,739

-5.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

$3,587 CA$4,915

6.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

$3,702 CA$5,071

-2.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$3,024 CA$4,142

3.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.21

-8.05%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for London: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,457 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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 $73.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $327, with London 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 3% 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: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,457 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in London – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $2,471 in London – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,471 in London versus $2,510 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in London but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes London the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Calgary and London 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 London gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.