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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,280 in St.Catharines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,194 in St.Catharines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,107 in St.Catharines.

Living in Calgary is roughly 11% more expensive than St.Catharines, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, St.Catharines 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$15.10 CA$21.00

23.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$43.62 CA$60.7

60.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.08 CA$15.40

-1.08%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.49 CA$4.85

6.88%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$1.71 CA$2.38

16.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.27 CA$1.76

35.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$4.80 CA$6.68

4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.27 CA$7.33

23.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.12 CA$2.95

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.14 CA$2.98

24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$2.92 CA$4.06

11.64%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.80 CA$5.28

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$8.23 CA$11.45

76.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$9.30 CA$12.93

39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$14.54 CA$20.22

11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.09 CA$5.69

5.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.02 CA$1.41

32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.35 CA$4.66

14.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.43 CA$4.77

21.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.13 CA$2.96

24.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.19 CA$3.04

25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.88 CA$2.61

46.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.13 CA$1.57

72.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$13.18 CA$18.32

13.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$13.21 CA$18.37

11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.68 CA$3.73

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.93 CA$4.08

37.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.16 CA$3.00

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$65.8 CA$91.5

30.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.87 CA$3.99

25.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.26 CA$1.76

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$22.42 CA$31.18

29.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.09 CA$1.51

2.75%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$25.2K CA$35.0K

-1.31%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

7.88%

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

$217 CA$302

$171 CA$237

27.34%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$34.34 CA$47.76

21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$52.3 CA$72.8

10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$29.98 CA$41.69

82.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$43.76 CA$60.9

20.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$11.99 CA$16.67

6.51%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$752 CA$1,046

16.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

37.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$62.6 CA$87.0

-5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$44.68 CA$62.1

4.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$74.3 CA$103

17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$87.3 CA$121

24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,157 CA$1,610

22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$1,252 CA$1,742

-6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,852 CA$2,575

25.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,699 CA$2,363

11.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$3,111 CA$4,326

25.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$2,729 CA$3,795

28.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,059 CA$4,254

2.96%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for St.Catharines: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,157 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $44.00 in St.Catharines for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $319 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 3% more on average, 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,157 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 $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,280 in St.Catharines – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,280 in St.Catharines versus $2,523 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 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.