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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,332 in Windsor, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,338 in Windsor, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,344 in Windsor, NS.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Windsor, NS 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$18.77 CA$26.26

-5.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$36.15 CA$50.6

97.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.80 CA$15.11

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.51 CA$4.91

9.69%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.09 CA$2.92

-6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.90 CA$2.65

-5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$4.49 CA$6.27

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.89 CA$8.24

0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$3.08 CA$4.30

-40.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.75 CA$3.85

-0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$3.43 CA$4.79

58.60%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.88 CA$5.43

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$13.42 CA$18.77

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$10.98 CA$15.36

5.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$13.63 CA$19.06

38.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$5.65 CA$7.90

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.62 CA$2.26

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$4.70 CA$6.58

-10.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$5.83 CA$8.15

-29.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.12 CA$2.97

20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.26 CA$3.16

24.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.65 CA$3.71

-3.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$2.15 CA$3.00

-27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$14.41 CA$20.16

1.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$14.16 CA$19.81

10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.35 CA$4.69

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$4.01 CA$5.60

-19.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.19 CA$3.07

35.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$64.0 CA$89.5

42.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.85 CA$3.99

11.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.35 CA$1.89

2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$21.62 CA$30.24

27.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.15 CA$1.61

8.70%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.7K CA$40.1K

-1.20%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.4K CA$27.2K

9.48%

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

$178 CA$249

$124 CA$174

43.26%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$32.32 CA$45.22

21.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$35.31 CA$49.39

44.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$43.74 CA$61.2

25.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$20.24 CA$28.31

-7.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$12.71 CA$17.77

14.48%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$380 CA$532

113.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$13.5K CA$18.9K

21.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$61.4 CA$85.8

-3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$36.67 CA$51.3

9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$104 CA$145

-11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$118 CA$165

-4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,279 CA$1,790

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,271 CA$1,777

-19.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$2,040 CA$2,854

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,868 CA$2,612

-6.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$3,969 CA$5,552

-10.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$3,335 CA$4,665

0.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$945 CA$1,321

240.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.6

-2.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Windsor, NS: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,279 in Windsor, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 240% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $36.00 in Windsor, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $410, 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 Windsor, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 240% 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,279 in Windsor, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $380 in Windsor, NS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor, NS – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,332 in Windsor, NS versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Windsor, NS but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor, NS 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 – Windsor, NS wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.