Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Tuscaloosa, AL Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Tuscaloosa, AL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,036 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $3,284 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,531 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Living in Calgary is roughly 23% more expensive than Tuscaloosa, AL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Tuscaloosa, AL 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$16.60 $16.60

12.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$61.6 $61.6

15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$9.82 $9.82

10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$5.02 $5.02

-24.30%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.48 $2.48

-17.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$1.65 $1.65

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.05 $5.05

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$6.46 $6.46

-0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$1.13 $1.13

96.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$3.56 $3.56

-21.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$7.60 $7.60

-55.13%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$3.57 $3.57

-2.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$12.30 $12.30

17.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$14.15 $14.15

-9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$19.62 $19.62

-17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$6.82 $6.82

-34.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$2.02 $2.02

-35.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$11.16 $11.16

-66.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$6.36 $6.36

-32.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$1.72 $1.72

55.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$4.13 $4.13

-35.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$2.62 $2.62

4.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$2.09 $2.09

-6.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$9.02 $9.02

61.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$15.31 $15.31

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$1.74 $1.74

61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$4.99 $4.99

-20.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.02 $2.02

35.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$3.53 $3.53

1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.50 $1.50

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$29.11 $29.11

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$0.81 $0.81

33.33%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$30.2K $30.2K

-15.81%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

-16.78%

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

$215 CA$294

$180 $180

19.33%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$54.0 $54.0

-24.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$71.9 $71.9

-19.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$60.5 $60.5

-10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

$40.20 $40.20

28.66%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$15.27 $15.27

-17.75%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$1,284 $1,284

-32.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$23.5K $23.5K

-31.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$43.91 $43.91

33.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$31.81 $31.81

47.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$55.2 $55.2

56.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$69.8 $69.8

56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,119 $1,119

24.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$802 $802

47.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$2,933 $2,933

-20.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$1,789 $1,789

5.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

$1,818 $1,818

110.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

$1,876 $1,876

91.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$3,454 $3,454

-9.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.5

-12.15%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tuscaloosa, AL: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,119 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tuscaloosa, AL pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $62.0 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $479, 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 Tuscaloosa, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuscaloosa, AL is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tuscaloosa, AL earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,119 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $871 in Calgary versus $1,284 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tuscaloosa, AL – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,036 in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $2,510 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuscaloosa, AL but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Tuscaloosa, AL 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 Tuscaloosa, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.