Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Oshawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Oshawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,599 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,728 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,858 in Oshawa.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 5% less than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Oshawa 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.18

$18.23 CA$25.61

2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.7

$74.5 CA$105

-5.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.81

$10.26 CA$14.42

9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.20

$3.82 CA$5.36

-3.14%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$1.97 CA$2.77

4.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.61 CA$2.26

3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.39

$5.27 CA$7.40

-0.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.46

$6.08 CA$8.54

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.68 CA$3.76

-16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.73 CA$3.83

0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.61

$3.75 CA$5.26

-12.53%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.55 CA$4.99

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.29

$12.08 CA$16.96

19.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.67

$11.16 CA$15.68

12.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.26

$16.02 CA$22.50

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.21

$3.45 CA$4.85

28.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.21 CA$1.69

10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$3.93 CA$5.52

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.09

$4.99 CA$7.00

-13.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$4.76 CA$6.69

-46.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$3.34 CA$4.69

-18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$2.91 CA$4.09

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.33 CA$1.87

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.80

$14.79 CA$20.77

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.27

$12.57 CA$17.66

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$3.17 CA$4.45

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.59

$2.99 CA$4.20

33.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$87.5 CA$123

0.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.81

$3.60 CA$5.06

-5.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$2.09 CA$2.94

-37.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.91

$21.74 CA$30.53

30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.14 CA$1.60

-1.75%

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

$24.9K CA$35.0K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

1.02%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

6.15%

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

$210 CA$295

$233 CA$327

-9.80%

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

$41.33 CA$58.1

$58.8 CA$82.5

-29.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.2

$74.7 CA$105

-22.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.7

$41.59 CA$58.4

33.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.4

$36.70 CA$51.6

42.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.51

$12.38 CA$17.39

0.73%

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

$886 CA$1,245

$1,305 CA$1,833

-32.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

33.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$83.0

$60.5 CA$85.0

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.1

$59.1 CA$83.1

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$118 CA$165

-26.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$158 CA$221

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,987

$1,272 CA$1,787

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,658

$1,188 CA$1,668

-0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,335

$2,015 CA$2,831

17.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,605

$1,889 CA$2,654

-1.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,274

$5,145 CA$7,227

-27.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,886

$10.4K CA$14.6K

-66.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,263

$2,997 CA$4,210

1.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,272 in Oshawa. 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Oshawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $384, with Oshawa 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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,272 in Oshawa. 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 $70.0 versus $74.0 in Oshawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $2,599 in Oshawa – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,599 in Oshawa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Oshawa. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Oshawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.