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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,344 in St. Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,407 in St. Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $4,471 in St. Thomas.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and St. Thomas; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.74

$21.89 CA$30.19

-18.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.3

$64.2 CA$88.6

9.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.74

$11.39 CA$15.71

-6.15%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.39 CA$4.68

11.80%

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

$2.00 CA$2.76

$2.22 CA$3.06

-9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.72

$1.56 CA$2.15

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.16

$5.13 CA$7.07

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.08

$6.18 CA$8.53

-5.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$2.18 CA$3.01

-10.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$2.66 CA$3.67

6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.74

$3.86 CA$5.32

45.34%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.17

$3.30 CA$4.55

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.86

$9.52 CA$13.13

20.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.81

$16.10 CA$22.20

-28.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.14

$19.55 CA$26.96

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.66

$3.92 CA$5.41

23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.33 CA$1.83

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$3.68 CA$5.08

15.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.72

$4.00 CA$5.52

3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$3.40 CA$4.68

-20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.90

$2.94 CA$4.05

-3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.64

$2.98 CA$4.11

-11.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.56 CA$2.16

-3.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.14

$11.06 CA$15.25

32.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.73

$12.58 CA$17.35

25.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$2.51 CA$3.46

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$2.85 CA$3.92

8.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$2.50 CA$3.45

17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$123

$71.3 CA$98.4

25.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.58

$2.49 CA$3.43

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.71 CA$2.36

-16.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.21

$22.91 CA$31.59

20.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.15 CA$1.58

9.57%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

3.07%

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

$21.3K CA$29.4K

$20.8K CA$28.7K

2.51%

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

$183 CA$252

$125 CA$173

46.21%

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

$38.31 CA$52.8

$44.17 CA$60.9

-13.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.3

$56.4 CA$77.8

-8.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.7

$36.00 CA$49.65

52.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.73

$18.70 CA$25.78

-0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.66

$10.95 CA$15.10

30.23%

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

$828 CA$1,142

$424 CA$585

95.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$21.9K

$17.5K CA$24.1K

-9.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.1

$53.5 CA$73.8

11.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.4

$37.33 CA$51.5

5.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$130

$82.5 CA$114

14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$91.2 CA$126

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,744

$1,187 CA$1,637

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,450

$1,084 CA$1,494

-3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,667

$2,020 CA$2,785

-4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,344

$1,980 CA$2,731

-14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,075

$4,287 CA$5,912

-14.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,597

$3,655 CA$5,041

-8.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,518

$3,073 CA$4,237

6.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.99

-11.82%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,187 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $64.0 in St. Thomas. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $397, 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 St. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,187 in St. Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $828 in Calgary versus $424 in St. Thomas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Thomas – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in St. Thomas versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in St. Thomas but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes St. Thomas 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.

It comes down to priorities – St. Thomas wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.