Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Washington, DC

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $3,964 in Washington, DC, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
193

Cost of Living Index in Washington, DC
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Washington, DC Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Washington, DC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Washington, DC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Washington, DC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $3,964 in Washington, DC.

Calgary $2,232
Washington, DC $3,964

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $6,201 in Washington, DC.

Calgary $3,363
Washington, DC $6,201

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $8,438 in Washington, DC.

Calgary $4,493
Washington, DC $8,438

Living in Calgary costs roughly 44% less than in Washington, DC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Washington, DC 196% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$27.63 $27.63

-37.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$109 $109

-34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$11.82 $11.82

-10.66%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$6.13 $6.13

-38.50%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$3.09 $3.09

-38.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$2.58 $2.58

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$9.17 $9.17

-47.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$10.13 $10.13

-45.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$1.29 $1.29

45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$4.22 $4.22

-35.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

$6.93 $6.93

-22.94%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$5.50 $5.50

-31.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$16.97 $16.97

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$17.11 $17.11

-33.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$18.45 $18.45

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$6.94 $6.94

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$2.30 $2.30

-37.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$5.06 $5.06

-16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$5.81 $5.81

-33.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$2.77 $2.77

-5.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$3.71 $3.71

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$2.60 $2.60

-0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$2.78 $2.78

-44.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

$14.06 $14.06

1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$16.05 $16.05

-4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$3.32 $3.32

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$5.79 $5.79

-46.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$3.32 $3.32

-13.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

$118 $118

-24.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$4.06 $4.06

-20.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$1.61 $1.61

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

$25.36 $25.36

4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$1.13 $1.13

4.42%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$36.8K $36.8K

-23.14%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-22.53%

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

$159 CA$227

$214 $214

-25.60%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$79.7 $79.7

-52.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$76.3 $76.3

-34.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$114 $114

-53.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

$73.7 $73.7

-75.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

$17.83 $17.83

-21.03%

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

$809 CA$1,154

$3,172 $3,172

-74.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

$41.0K $41.0K

-61.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$72.6 $72.6

-19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$43.57 $43.57

-10.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$103 $103

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$124 $124

-12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$2,726 $2,726

-54.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$2,198 $2,198

-54.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$5,311 $5,311

-64.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$4,433 $4,433

-62.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

$8,345 $8,345

-57.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

$3,593 $3,593

-7.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$6,312 $6,312

-50.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.63

-31.98%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

Washington, DC

$2.2K 55.7% 121% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

Washington, DC

$514 13% 32.7% $127

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Washington, DC

$419 10.6% 58% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

Washington, DC

$370 9.4% 50.1% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Washington, DC

$155 3.9% 15.2% $20

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

Washington, DC

$143 3.6% 29.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Washington, DC

$150 3.8% 84.4% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $2,726 in Washington, DC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 102% 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 $109 in Washington, DC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $514 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇺🇸 Washington, DC

🕒 Local time

02:19 2:19 AM

04:19 4:19 AM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

672,228 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Calgary Washington, DC 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% lower in Washington, DC. 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: $1,237 in Calgary versus $2,726 in Washington, DC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $109 in Washington, DC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $3,964 in Washington, DC – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $3,964 in Washington, DC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Washington, DC. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Washington, DC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.