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: $2,479 in Cambridge versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Cambridge versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,628 in Cambridge versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 85% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CA$20.08

$18.59 CA$25.86

-22.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.0

$70.0 CA$97.4

-6.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 CA$13.27

$10.96 CA$15.24

-12.96%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$3.73 CA$5.19

-5.36%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$1.99 CA$2.77

10.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.72 CA$2.40

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.27

$5.01 CA$6.97

18.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.31

$6.50 CA$9.05

2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.22 CA$3.09

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$2.67 CA$3.71

-16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.26 CA$4.54

-9.51%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.29

$3.35 CA$4.66

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 CA$11.41

$14.50 CA$20.16

-43.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$12.95 CA$18.01

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.43

$16.15 CA$22.46

-13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$4.32 CA$6.01

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.35 CA$1.88

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.16

$3.83 CA$5.32

-3.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.18

$4.18 CA$5.81

-11.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.65 CA$3.68

1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.47

$2.74 CA$3.81

-9.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$2.76 CA$3.84

-22.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.95 CA$2.71

-15.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 CA$19.03

$14.98 CA$20.83

-8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CA$17.73

$14.67 CA$20.40

-13.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$2.84 CA$3.95

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.47

$4.02 CA$5.59

-20.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$2.80 CA$3.90

-10.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 CA$95.4

$86.2 CA$120

-20.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$3.60 CA$5.01

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.32 CA$1.83

31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 CA$33.46

$29.01 CA$40.35

-17.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.12 CA$1.56

1.79%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

0.45%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-8.09%

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

$154 CA$214

$217 CA$302

-29.08%

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

$38.79 CA$54.0

$41.55 CA$57.8

-6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.8

$58.1 CA$80.8

-4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 CA$41.89

$54.7 CA$76.1

-44.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.16

$12.77 CA$17.75

-9.01%

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

$561 CA$780

$874 CA$1,215

-35.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CA$14.1K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-36.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.7

$58.8 CA$81.8

-3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 CA$48.20

$46.47 CA$64.6

-25.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 CA$97.7

$87.2 CA$121

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$109 CA$151

2.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 CA$1,963

$1,414 CA$1,966

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,916

$1,172 CA$1,630

17.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 CA$3,757

$2,319 CA$3,225

16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CA$2,929

$1,886 CA$2,623

11.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,307 CA$5,990

$3,892 CA$5,413

10.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,461

$3,503 CA$4,872

12.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,989 CA$4,157

$3,149 CA$4,380

-5.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,411 in Cambridge and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $397 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

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 5% less. 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: $1,411 in Cambridge versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,479 per month in Cambridge versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,479 in Cambridge versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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.

Expats usually find Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.