Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and St.Catharines Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and St.Catharines

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Calgary versus $2,286 in St.Catharines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Calgary versus $3,186 in St.Catharines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,816 in Calgary versus $4,085 in St.Catharines.

Living in Calgary is roughly 6% more expensive than in St.Catharines, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 82% above, St.Catharines 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$26.12

$14.79 CA$20.86

25.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$99.6

$43.76 CA$61.7

61.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.55

$11.23 CA$15.84

-1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.48

$3.35 CA$4.72

15.82%

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

$1.97 CA$2.79

$1.69 CA$2.39

16.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$1.27 CA$1.79

30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.32

$4.86 CA$6.86

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.28

$5.45 CA$7.68

20.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.08 CA$2.94

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.77

$2.17 CA$3.07

23.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.72

$2.92 CA$4.12

14.73%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.78

$3.65 CA$5.16

-7.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.58

$8.03 CA$11.33

81.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.27

$9.28 CA$13.10

39.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 CA$22.34

$14.86 CA$20.95

6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.07

$4.07 CA$5.74

5.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.84

$1.00 CA$1.41

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.47

$3.39 CA$4.79

14.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.96

$3.40 CA$4.80

24.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$2.05 CA$2.90

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$2.13 CA$3.01

27.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.87

$1.82 CA$2.56

50.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.73

$1.17 CA$1.65

64.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 CA$21.15

$13.10 CA$18.48

14.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.69

$12.97 CA$18.29

13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$2.63 CA$3.72

9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.68

$3.03 CA$4.27

33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$2.18 CA$3.07

27.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$121

$65.2 CA$92.0

31.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$2.84 CA$4.01

26.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

$1.22 CA$1.72

10.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 CA$40.68

$21.75 CA$30.67

32.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$1.10 CA$1.55

-1.82%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.34%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$20.7K CA$29.2K

4.74%

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

$216 CA$304

$170 CA$239

27.07%

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

$41.66 CA$58.8

$33.67 CA$47.49

23.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$82.8

$53.2 CA$75.1

10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 CA$75.6

$29.00 CA$40.91

84.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 CA$73.5

$43.77 CA$61.7

19.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.95

$11.66 CA$16.44

9.09%

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

$885 CA$1,248

$742 CA$1,047

19.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.3K

$11.3K CA$16.0K

39.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$61.7 CA$87.1

-6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 CA$66.7

$43.94 CA$62.0

7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 CA$124

$73.7 CA$104

19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$151

$88.5 CA$125

21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 CA$1,929

$1,178 CA$1,662

16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,666

$1,229 CA$1,733

-3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 CA$3,335

$1,785 CA$2,517

32.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 CA$2,641

$1,681 CA$2,371

11.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,737 CA$5,270

$3,044 CA$4,294

22.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,424 CA$4,829

$2,684 CA$3,786

27.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 CA$4,229

$2,903 CA$4,095

3.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.51

-12.29%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Last update for St.Catharines: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,368 in Calgary and $1,178 in St.Catharines. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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 $44.00 in St.Catharines for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $318 per month, with St.Catharines cheaper across the board.

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 St.Catharines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St.Catharines is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,368 in Calgary versus $1,178 in St.Catharines. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St.Catharines – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Calgary versus $2,286 in St.Catharines – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,286 in St.Catharines versus $2,432 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St.Catharines but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes St.Catharines 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 St.Catharines 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.