Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Picton Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Picton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,047 in Picton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $1,731 in Picton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $2,415 in Picton.

Living in Calgary is roughly 124% more expensive than in Picton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 70% above, Picton is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$18.34 CA$25.44

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$70.5 CA$97.8

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$7.32 CA$10.15

45.90%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.60 CA$4.99

9.17%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.17 CA$3.01

-6.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.70 CA$2.36

15.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.64 CA$7.82

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.87 CA$8.14

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.72 CA$2.39

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.12 CA$2.94

34.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$2.53 CA$3.50

126.09%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$2.95 CA$4.09

29.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$10.09 CA$13.99

14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$12.21 CA$16.94

-2.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$15.82 CA$21.94

19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$2.80 CA$3.89

75.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.27 CA$1.76

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.76 CA$5.21

15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.22 CA$5.85

-4.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.85 CA$2.57

47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.48 CA$2.06

94.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.36 CA$3.27

8.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.25 CA$1.73

19.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$14.30 CA$19.83

2.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$14.55 CA$20.18

7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.22 CA$3.08

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$2.55 CA$3.54

28.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.14 CA$2.97

37.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$19.66 CA$27.26

356.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$3.03 CA$4.21

8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.31 CA$1.81

4.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$22.32 CA$30.96

21.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.09 CA$1.51

11.93%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$27.2K CA$37.7K

5.24%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$21.2K CA$29.4K

-1.54%

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

$182 CA$253

$128 CA$177

42.94%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$29.09 CA$40.35

35.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$48.34 CA$67.1

6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$43.58 CA$60.5

25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$8.67 CA$12.02

67.47%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$291 CA$404

180.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-34.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$51.3 CA$71.2

20.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$35.98 CA$49.90

11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$88.6 CA$123

6.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$122 CA$169

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,026 CA$1,422

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,696 CA$2,352

17.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$3,866 CA$5,362

-6.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,230 CA$4,480

0.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.47

0.22%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Picton: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,026 in Picton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 0% 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 $71.0 in Picton. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $335, with Picton 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 Picton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Picton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 0% 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 $1,026 in Picton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Picton – a meal for two runs $71.0 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 $1,047 in Picton – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,047 in Picton versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Picton but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Picton 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 Picton 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 Picton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.