Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Ottawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Ottawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,534 in Ottawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,628 in Ottawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,722 in Ottawa.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Ottawa; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Ottawa 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$18.49 CA$25.71

0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$74.5 CA$104

-6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.43 CA$15.90

-4.11%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.90 CA$5.43

-4.36%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.06 CA$2.87

-3.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.72 CA$2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$6.01 CA$8.36

-16.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$6.52 CA$9.07

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.40 CA$3.33

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.72 CA$3.79

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.32 CA$4.61

-1.81%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.58 CA$4.98

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$11.35 CA$15.78

27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$13.21 CA$18.37

-1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$15.73 CA$21.88

2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.18 CA$5.82

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.37 CA$1.90

-1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.40 CA$4.73

12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.63 CA$5.05

15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.51 CA$3.48

5.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$3.18 CA$4.43

-13.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.28 CA$3.16

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.57 CA$2.19

24.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$13.77 CA$19.16

8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$10.82 CA$15.04

35.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.40 CA$3.34

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.10 CA$4.31

29.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$3.02 CA$4.21

-7.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$97.7 CA$136

-11.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.87 CA$3.99

25.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.41 CA$1.96

-6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$19.58 CA$27.22

48.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.11 CA$1.54

0.90%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-1.88%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$21.6K CA$30.0K

1.74%

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

$217 CA$302

$164 CA$228

32.34%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$42.87 CA$59.6

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$51.6 CA$71.7

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$47.92 CA$66.6

14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$16.23 CA$22.58

225.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$10.90 CA$15.15

17.16%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$898 CA$1,249

-2.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$16.0K CA$22.3K

-0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$53.4 CA$74.3

10.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$40.53 CA$56.4

14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$90.9 CA$126

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$95.2 CA$132

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,500 CA$2,086

-5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$1,289 CA$1,792

-9.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$2,337 CA$3,250

-0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,906 CA$2,651

-1.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$4,478 CA$6,228

-13.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$4,704 CA$6,542

-25.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,660 CA$5,091

-13.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.48

4.20%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ottawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,500 in Ottawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $75.0 in Ottawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $369, with Ottawa 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 Ottawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Ottawa earns 16% less. 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,500 in Ottawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $874 in Calgary versus $898 in Ottawa. 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 $70.0 versus $75.0 in Ottawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, Calgary and Ottawa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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