Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Markham Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Markham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,466 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,616 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,767 in Markham.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 5% less than in Markham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Markham 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$18.03 CA$25.23

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$53.7 CA$75.1

32.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.66 CA$14.91

1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.72 CA$5.21

3.49%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.79 CA$2.50

8.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.41 CA$1.98

26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$4.65 CA$6.50

6.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.26

$6.88 CA$9.63

-14.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$1.93 CA$2.71

-4.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.23 CA$3.12

22.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.61

$2.04 CA$2.85

166.67%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.09 CA$4.32

17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$12.16 CA$17.02

-4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.51

$7.15 CA$10.00

164.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.65 CA$5.11

35.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.32 CA$1.84

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.91

$2.30 CA$3.21

83.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$3.44 CA$4.82

18.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.09 CA$2.93

22.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$1.95 CA$2.73

44.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.90 CA$4.06

-11.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.54 CA$2.16

0.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$13.49 CA$18.88

8.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$15.35 CA$21.48

1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.48 CA$3.47

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.28 CA$4.58

-1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$3.04 CA$4.25

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$94.4 CA$132

-3.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$3.39 CA$4.74

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.71

$18.79 CA$26.29

47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.10 CA$1.54

13.64%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.4K CA$39.7K

-0.22%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$18.6K CA$26.0K

14.75%

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

$178 CA$249

$126 CA$176

40.97%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$26.89 CA$37.62

46.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$47.48 CA$66.4

7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.6

$44.28 CA$62.0

23.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.26

$21.97 CA$30.74

-14.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$10.37 CA$14.51

40.31%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$899 CA$1,258

-9.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$27.6K CA$38.6K

-40.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$43.43 CA$60.8

36.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$38.74 CA$54.2

4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$95.0 CA$133

-2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$97.3 CA$136

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,635 CA$2,287

-21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,425

$1,406 CA$1,967

-27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,767

$2,726 CA$3,814

-27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$2,344 CA$3,279

-25.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$5,991 CA$8,382

-40.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,699

$5,574 CA$7,799

-39.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,176 CA$4,444

1.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.56

-1.75%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Markham: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,635 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $54.0 in Markham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $287 per month, with Markham cheaper across the board.

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 Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary and Markham differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,344 vs $2,466 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,635 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $54.0 in Markham. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,466 in Markham – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,466 in Markham, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Markham. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Markham 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.