Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saskatoon Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saskatoon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,207 in Saskatoon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,252 in Saskatoon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,297 in Saskatoon.

Living in Calgary is roughly 6% more expensive than in Saskatoon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Saskatoon 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$18.40 CA$25.53

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$74.5 CA$103

-3.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$9.58 CA$13.29

11.48%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.73 CA$5.17

5.36%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.02 CA$2.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.88 CA$2.61

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$4.24 CA$5.88

16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$6.33 CA$8.78

-6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$3.11 CA$4.31

-34.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.18 CA$3.03

31.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$5.01 CA$6.94

14.17%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.63 CA$5.03

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$10.14 CA$14.07

14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$12.04 CA$16.70

-0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$16.47 CA$22.85

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$4.23 CA$5.87

16.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.46 CA$2.02

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$4.41 CA$6.11

-1.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$3.21 CA$4.45

25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.93 CA$4.07

-7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.21 CA$3.06

30.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.80 CA$3.88

-8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.53 CA$2.13

-2.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$15.26 CA$21.16

-3.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$14.37 CA$19.94

8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.78 CA$3.85

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.41 CA$4.73

-4.11%

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

$59.5 CA$82.5

51.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$4.53 CA$6.28

-27.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$0.76 CA$1.06

80.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$14.62 CA$20.28

85.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.15 CA$1.59

6.09%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$29.1K CA$40.4K

-1.95%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-1.99%

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

$182 CA$253

$210 CA$291

-13.13%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$49.85 CA$69.1

-20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$62.6 CA$86.9

-17.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$44.84 CA$62.2

22.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$11.35 CA$15.75

65.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.55 CA$16.02

25.71%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$514 CA$712

59.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$14.9K CA$20.7K

9.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$64.8 CA$89.8

-4.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$45.29 CA$62.8

-11.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$87.8 CA$122

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$110 CA$153

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,035 CA$1,435

21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$920 CA$1,276

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,804 CA$2,502

10.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,412 CA$1,958

20.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$2,927 CA$4,059

23.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$2,795 CA$3,877

21.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,775 CA$3,848

16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.8

-6.67%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Saskatoon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,035 in Saskatoon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 17% 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 $74.0 in Saskatoon. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $383, with Saskatoon 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 Saskatoon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saskatoon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $1,035 in Saskatoon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saskatoon – a meal for two runs $74.0 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 $2,207 in Saskatoon – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,207 in Saskatoon versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saskatoon but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Saskatoon 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 Saskatoon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.