Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Waterloo Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Waterloo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,428 in Waterloo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,495 in Waterloo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,562 in Waterloo.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Waterloo 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$14.59 CA$19.99

24.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$65.6 CA$89.9

6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$9.60 CA$13.16

14.69%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.14 CA$4.30

18.79%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.54 CA$2.11

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.57 CA$2.15

5.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.65 CA$7.74

-6.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.45 CA$8.84

3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.14 CA$2.93

0.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.31 CA$3.16

16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$2.58 CA$3.53

31.78%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.02 CA$4.14

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$8.25 CA$11.30

77.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$16.48 CA$22.58

-23.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$14.14 CA$19.37

14.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.15 CA$5.69

7.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.24 CA$1.69

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.21 CA$4.40

16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.73 CA$5.11

15.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.34 CA$3.21

14.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.84 CA$3.89

-8.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.97 CA$2.69

39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.60 CA$2.20

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$14.08 CA$19.29

6.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$9.97 CA$13.66

43.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.53 CA$3.47

14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.27 CA$4.49

21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.73 CA$3.73

-1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$67.6 CA$92.6

30.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$2.65 CA$3.63

34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.75 CA$2.40

-23.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$29.13 CA$39.91

0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.15 CA$1.58

-1.74%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-1.22%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.1K CA$27.5K

10.79%

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

$218 CA$299

$185 CA$254

17.73%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$36.89 CA$50.5

12.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$54.4 CA$74.5

7.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$38.60 CA$52.9

39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$15.33 CA$21.01

241.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$12.19 CA$16.70

3.86%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$556 CA$762

59.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$10.5K CA$14.4K

53.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$53.5 CA$73.3

8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$25.33 CA$34.70

90.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$68.9 CA$94.4

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$87.1 CA$119

21.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,428 CA$1,956

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,285 CA$1,761

-7.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,329 CA$3,190

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$2,069 CA$2,835

-10.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$5,366 CA$7,352

-29.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$5,017 CA$6,874

-30.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,043 CA$4,169

2.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.71

-14.90%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Waterloo: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,428 in Waterloo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $66 in Waterloo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $355 per month, with Waterloo 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 Waterloo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary pays 2% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,428 in Waterloo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $885 in Calgary versus $556 in Waterloo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Waterloo – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,428 in Waterloo versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waterloo but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Waterloo 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 – Waterloo wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.