Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $4,795 in Calgary.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 84% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$18.33 CA$25.79

-19.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$69.9 CA$98.3

-6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$10.95 CA$15.41

-8.68%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.74 CA$5.26

-1.60%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.04 CA$2.87

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.67 CA$2.35

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$5.20 CA$7.32

12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$6.71 CA$9.45

-2.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.25 CA$3.16

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.75 CA$3.87

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$3.23 CA$4.54

-7.43%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.45 CA$4.85

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$14.40 CA$20.26

-39.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$12.89 CA$18.13

-7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$15.86 CA$22.32

-13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.30 CA$6.05

-7.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.34 CA$1.89

-8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.85 CA$5.42

-4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$4.25 CA$5.99

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.55 CA$3.58

7.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.62 CA$3.69

-6.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.80 CA$3.94

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$1.95 CA$2.74

-19.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$14.97 CA$21.06

-10.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$13.90 CA$19.57

-11.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.92 CA$4.11

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$3.91 CA$5.50

-19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.74 CA$3.85

-6.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$87.8 CA$124

-24.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$3.60 CA$5.06

-27.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.30 CA$1.83

31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$28.70 CA$40.39

-16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.12 CA$1.57

-0.89%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-0.31%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-6.71%

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

$151 CA$212

$213 CA$300

-29.16%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$40.96 CA$57.6

-2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$57.9 CA$81.5

-6.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$54.2 CA$76.2

-44.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$12.63 CA$17.77

-8.55%

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

$556 CA$782

$874 CA$1,230

-36.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-34.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$58.6 CA$82.5

-5.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$47.01 CA$66.2

-26.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$85.1 CA$120

-16.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 CA$151

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$1,380 CA$1,942

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$1,159 CA$1,631

18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$2,324 CA$3,270

15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$1,905 CA$2,680

11.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$3,786 CA$5,327

10.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$3,511 CA$4,940

9.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$2,940 CA$4,136

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.71

16.29%

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

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Dining out: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $396 per month, with Cambridge 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

Cambridge vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 2% higher in Cambridge, 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: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $556 in Cambridge versus $874 in Calgary. 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 $70.0 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,462 in Cambridge, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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, Cambridge on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.