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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,040 in Owen Sound.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,175 in Owen Sound.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,309 in Owen Sound.

Living in Calgary is roughly 21% more expensive than in Owen Sound, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Owen Sound 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$15.01 CA$21.12

22.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$55.9 CA$78.6

25.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$10.11 CA$14.22

8.31%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.23 CA$4.54

15.79%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.03 CA$2.86

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$4.38 CA$6.17

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.81 CA$8.17

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.78 CA$2.51

26.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.91 CA$4.09

-5.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$4.50 CA$6.33

-28.22%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.40 CA$4.78

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$6.83 CA$9.61

110.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$17.06 CA$24.01

-24.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$21.28 CA$29.94

-25.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$4.07 CA$5.72

5.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.82 CA$2.55

-26.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.91 CA$4.09

32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$4.13 CA$5.82

2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.51 CA$3.53

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$3.06 CA$4.30

-14.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$3.09 CA$4.35

-9.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.34 CA$1.88

45.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$13.53 CA$19.03

10.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$16.23 CA$22.84

-14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$5.07 CA$7.13

-42.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.32 CA$3.26

68.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.22 CA$3.13

23.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$51.0 CA$71.8

72.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$4.67 CA$6.57

-22.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$2.10 CA$2.95

-38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$14.59 CA$20.53

96.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.13 CA$1.60

-0.88%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$28.5K CA$40.2K

-10.72%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$22.3K CA$31.4K

-2.59%

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

$213 CA$300

$142 CA$199

50.47%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$42.95 CA$60.4

-4.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$59.0 CA$83.0

-1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$83.7 CA$118

-35.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$58.0 CA$81.6

-7.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$9.09 CA$12.79

38.94%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$574 CA$807

52.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$18.2K CA$25.6K

-12.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$43.22 CA$60.8

35.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$40.61 CA$57.1

15.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$81.1 CA$114

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$110 CA$155

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,091 CA$1,535

26.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$872 CA$1,227

32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,678 CA$2,361

38.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,555 CA$2,188

22.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,949 CA$4,150

-0.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.83

-16.40%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,091 in Owen Sound. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Owen Sound pays 0% 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 $56.0 in Owen Sound. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $416, 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. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Owen Sound. 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,091 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 $56.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,040 in Owen Sound – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,040 in Owen Sound versus $2,462 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 21% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.