Cost of Living Comparison Between Cold Lake and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Cold Lake and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,932 in Cold Lake versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Cold Lake versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,859 in Cold Lake versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Cold Lake costs roughly 18% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cold Lake 41% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$27.90

$17.94 CA$24.84

12.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$82.8

$70.5 CA$97.7

-15.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 CA$13.93

$10.69 CA$14.80

-5.89%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.36

$3.79 CA$5.24

2.11%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.00 CA$2.77

11.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.98 CA$2.73

-28.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 CA$7.91

$5.19 CA$7.19

10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 CA$9.18

$5.86 CA$8.11

13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.60

$1.95 CA$2.71

-40.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.82 CA$3.91

-19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$5.61 CA$7.77

-45.63%

Eggs

$3.16 CA$4.37

$3.75 CA$5.20

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 CA$15.48

$11.50 CA$15.93

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 CA$16.17

$11.46 CA$15.87

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.75 CA$25.95

$18.95 CA$26.24

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.94

$4.83 CA$6.69

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.37 CA$1.90

-17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CA$3.96

$4.25 CA$5.88

-32.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$4.15 CA$5.75

-36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.70 CA$3.74

-17.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 CA$1.46

$2.83 CA$3.92

-62.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$2.64 CA$3.65

-5.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.54

$1.51 CA$2.09

21.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.01 CA$16.63

$14.60 CA$20.22

-17.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 CA$16.22

$15.76 CA$21.82

-25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 CA$4.94

$2.60 CA$3.60

37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$3.08 CA$4.27

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$3.32 CA$4.60

-8.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.43 CA$1.98

-0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.96 CA$30.40

$27.71 CA$38.36

-20.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.44

$1.26 CA$1.74

-17.46%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$28.9K CA$40.1K

-2.36%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

-5.86%

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

$231 CA$320

$183 CA$253

26.43%

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

$41.34 CA$57.2

$38.31 CA$53.0

7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CA$77.0

$51.7 CA$71.6

7.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$76.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.84

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 CA$18.51

$14.26 CA$19.74

-6.24%

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

$777 CA$1,076

$828 CA$1,147

-6.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,577 CA$13.3K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.08 CA$40.27

$59.6 CA$82.5

-51.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.70 CA$49.43

$39.47 CA$54.7

-9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 CA$75.7

$94.3 CA$131

-42.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 CA$127

$113 CA$156

-18.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CA$1,244

$1,265 CA$1,751

-28.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 CA$1,192

$1,051 CA$1,455

-18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 CA$2,192

$1,934 CA$2,678

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 CA$2,013

$1,700 CA$2,354

-14.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,096

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,616

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 CA$4,291

$3,276 CA$4,536

-5.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.4

-1.82%

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

Last update for Cold Lake: September 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Cold Lake and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% 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: $60.0 in Cold Lake vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $397 per month, with Cold Lake 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

Cold Lake vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cold Lake is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Calgary. 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: $898 in Cold Lake versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $777 in Cold Lake versus $828 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cold Lake – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,932 in Cold Lake versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cold Lake but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cold Lake 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 Cold Lake gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.