Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,155 in Darwin versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,278 in Darwin versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,400 in Darwin versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Darwin is roughly 35% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Darwin 129% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 A$32.11

$18.45 CA$25.59

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 A$128

$71.5 CA$99.2

28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 A$16.24

$10.68 CA$14.81

9.08%

Cappuccino

$4.35 A$6.06

$3.93 CA$5.46

10.69%

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

$3.40 A$4.74

$2.02 CA$2.80

68.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 A$4.42

$1.97 CA$2.73

60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 A$11.20

$4.92 CA$6.82

63.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.68 A$10.71

$5.90 CA$8.19

30.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.11

$2.03 CA$2.82

-25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 A$4.30

$2.86 CA$3.97

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.14

$5.72 CA$7.93

-60.66%

Eggs

$4.70 A$6.55

$3.81 CA$5.29

23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 A$13.47

$11.56 CA$16.04

-16.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 A$11.87

$11.95 CA$16.57

-28.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 A$12.77

$18.97 CA$26.30

-51.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 A$5.80

$4.91 CA$6.82

-15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$1.42 CA$1.97

105.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.09

$4.36 CA$6.04

-32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 A$7.49

$4.03 CA$5.59

33.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.72

$2.72 CA$3.77

-1.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$2.88 CA$3.99

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.57 CA$3.57

-16.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.14

$1.49 CA$2.07

51.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.30 A$64.6

$14.71 CA$20.41

214.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 A$17.31

$15.57 CA$21.60

-20.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$10.32 A$14.39

$2.52 CA$3.50

309.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.00 A$11.15

$3.27 CA$4.53

144.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.47 A$69.0

$89.8 CA$125

-44.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 A$5.46

$3.30 CA$4.58

18.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.90

$1.37 CA$1.90

-0.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.7 A$70.7

$27.07 CA$37.54

87.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.78

$1.22 CA$1.69

4.92%

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

$31.5K A$44.0K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

10.36%

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

$42.8K A$59.6K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

104.94%

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

$226 A$315

$182 CA$253

23.87%

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

$35.05 A$48.86

$39.50 CA$54.8

-11.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 A$86.1

$51.4 CA$71.3

20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.0 A$116

$54.8 CA$76.0

51.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.16 A$40.65

$18.79 CA$26.07

55.19%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 A$24.28

$14.52 CA$20.14

19.97%

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

$2,013 A$2,806

$819 CA$1,136

145.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,736 A$12.2K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-46.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 A$122

$61.8 CA$85.8

41.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.57 A$67.7

$40.15 CA$55.7

20.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 A$153

$94.3 CA$131

16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 A$204

$114 CA$158

28.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,473

$1,256 CA$1,741

41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 A$2,423

$1,089 CA$1,510

59.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 A$3,964

$1,994 CA$2,766

42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 A$3,065

$1,706 CA$2,367

28.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 A$5,583

$3,627 CA$5,031

10.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,641 A$5,076

$3,403 CA$4,719

7.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,313 A$6,013

$3,246 CA$4,502

32.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.14

4.48

37.05%

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

Last update for Darwin: September 8, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Darwin and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 33% 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: $92.0 in Darwin vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $391 vs $401, with Darwin 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

Darwin vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Darwin, 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: $1,774 in Darwin versus $1,256 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $92.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,155 per month in Darwin versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $3,155 in Darwin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Darwin. 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.

Safety-wise, Darwin and Calgary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.