Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Owen Sound Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Owen Sound

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,150 in Owen Sound.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,207 in Owen Sound.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,263 in Owen Sound.

Living in Calgary is roughly 9% more expensive than in Owen Sound, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Owen Sound 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$14.74 CA$20.44

25.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$48.18 CA$66.8

48.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$9.66 CA$13.40

10.56%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.65 CA$5.06

7.67%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.03 CA$2.81

-0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.67 CA$2.32

17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$4.46 CA$6.18

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.74 CA$7.96

2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.51 CA$3.49

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.83 CA$3.92

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.46 CA$4.80

65.32%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$4.46 CA$6.19

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$9.70 CA$13.45

19.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$16.37 CA$22.71

-27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$24.09 CA$33.42

-21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$7.24 CA$10.04

-32.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.88 CA$2.60

-24.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.62 CA$5.03

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$3.05 CA$4.23

32.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.56 CA$3.56

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$3.33 CA$4.61

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.27 CA$3.15

13.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.35 CA$1.87

10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$13.70 CA$19.00

7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$16.42 CA$22.78

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$4.52 CA$6.26

-44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$5.13 CA$7.11

-36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.23 CA$3.10

31.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$62.9 CA$87.3

42.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$4.73 CA$6.56

-30.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$25.76 CA$35.73

5.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.06 CA$1.48

15.09%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$27.4K CA$38.0K

4.24%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$19.2K CA$26.7K

8.60%

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

$182 CA$253

$99.8 CA$138

82.71%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$30.17 CA$41.85

30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$49.28 CA$68.4

4.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$114 CA$158

-52.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$41.35 CA$57.3

-54.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$7.90 CA$10.96

83.80%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$485 CA$672

68.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$7,169 CA$9,942

128.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$36.54 CA$50.7

69.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$28.09 CA$38.96

42.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$89.9 CA$125

4.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$108 CA$150

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,341 CA$1,859

-6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$925 CA$1,283

17.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$2,253 CA$3,125

-11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,613 CA$2,237

5.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,039 CA$4,215

6.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

5.39

-16.88%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,341 in Owen Sound. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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 $48.00 in Owen Sound. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $451, with Calgary 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 Owen Sound: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owen Sound is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,341 in Owen Sound. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Owen Sound – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,150 in Owen Sound – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,150 in Owen Sound versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Owen Sound but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.