Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Windsor Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Windsor

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,159 in Windsor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $3,964 in Windsor.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.74

$14.34 CA$19.77

25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.3

$66.2 CA$91.3

6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.74

$10.64 CA$14.68

0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.69 CA$5.09

2.71%

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

$2.00 CA$2.76

$2.62 CA$3.61

-23.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.72

$1.85 CA$2.55

7.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.16

$4.98 CA$6.87

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.08

$5.96 CA$8.22

-1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$1.84 CA$2.54

5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$2.14 CA$2.95

31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.74

$3.11 CA$4.29

80.39%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.17

$3.02 CA$4.16

24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.86

$10.21 CA$14.09

12.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.81

$10.45 CA$14.41

9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.14

$14.28 CA$19.70

32.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.66

$4.03 CA$5.56

19.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.00 CA$1.38

37.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$3.11 CA$4.29

36.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.72

$3.67 CA$5.06

13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$1.96 CA$2.70

37.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.90

$2.15 CA$2.97

31.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.64

$2.25 CA$3.11

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.33 CA$1.84

13.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.14

$13.23 CA$18.25

10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.73

$11.88 CA$16.39

32.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$1.89 CA$2.60

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$3.34 CA$4.60

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$2.70 CA$3.72

8.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$123

$89.2 CA$123

0.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.58

$2.41 CA$3.32

37.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.03 CA$1.41

38.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.21

$14.64 CA$20.18

89.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.23 CA$1.70

2.44%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

2.19%

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

$21.3K CA$29.4K

$19.2K CA$26.5K

10.95%

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

$183 CA$252

$186 CA$256

-1.40%

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

$38.31 CA$52.8

$39.67 CA$54.7

-3.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.3

$57.2 CA$78.9

-9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.7

$45.19 CA$62.3

21.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.73

$28.71 CA$39.59

-35.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.66

$10.89 CA$15.01

30.95%

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

$828 CA$1,142

$511 CA$705

62.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$21.9K

$4,298 CA$5,926

270.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.1

$44.44 CA$61.3

34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.4

$34.29 CA$47.29

15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$130

$81.0 CA$112

16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$83.9 CA$116

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,744

$1,182 CA$1,630

6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,450

$1,207 CA$1,664

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,667

$1,791 CA$2,470

7.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,344

$1,544 CA$2,129

10.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,075

$3,021 CA$4,166

21.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,597

$3,018 CA$4,162

10.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,518

$3,078 CA$4,244

6.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.71

-6.58%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Windsor: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,182 in Windsor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $66.0 in Windsor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $322 per month, with Windsor 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 Windsor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 6% 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 $1,182 in Windsor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $828 in Calgary versus $511 in Windsor. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $66.0 in Windsor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,353 in Windsor, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Windsor. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 – Calgary wins on affordability, Windsor on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.