Cost of Living Comparison Between Dortmund and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Dortmund and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,139 in Dortmund versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,292 in Dortmund versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,446 in Dortmund versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Dortmund costs roughly 15% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dortmund 60% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.31 €14.89

$18.59 CA$25.74

-6.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 €53.7

$70.0 CA$97.0

-10.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 €11.10

$10.96 CA$15.17

17.70%

Cappuccino

$3.69 €3.17

$3.73 CA$5.17

-1.07%

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

$2.95 €2.54

$1.99 CA$2.75

48.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.72 CA$2.39

59.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €4.94

$5.01 CA$6.94

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.42

$6.50 CA$9.01

-38.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$2.22 CA$3.08

-46.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.67 CA$3.69

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.26 CA$4.52

3.37%

Eggs

$3.93 €3.38

$3.35 CA$4.64

17.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.03 €12.93

$14.50 CA$20.07

3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 €12.51

$12.95 CA$17.93

12.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 €16.33

$16.15 CA$22.36

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$4.32 CA$5.98

-21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.35 CA$1.88

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$3.83 CA$5.30

-36.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 €4.33

$4.18 CA$5.79

20.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.65 CA$3.67

-32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.74 CA$3.79

-31.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.76 CA$3.82

-27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.95 CA$2.70

-45.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.75 €8.38

$14.98 CA$20.74

-34.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.03

$14.67 CA$20.31

-52.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$2.84 CA$3.94

-63.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.46

$4.02 CA$5.56

-57.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.78 €3.25

$2.80 CA$3.88

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 €52.7

$86.2 CA$119

-28.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 €5.04

$3.60 CA$4.99

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.32 CA$1.82

53.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.2 €60.4

$29.01 CA$40.17

142.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.12 CA$1.55

85.71%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

24.39%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

76.01%

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

$435 €374

$217 CA$301

100.43%

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

$36.08 €31.04

$41.55 CA$57.5

-13.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €48.19

$58.1 CA$80.4

-3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 €38.79

$54.7 CA$75.8

-17.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.87 €19.67

$52.8 CA$73.1

-56.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.59 €15.13

$12.77 CA$17.68

37.74%

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

$421 €362

$874 CA$1,210

-51.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K €25.1K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

82.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.3

$58.8 CA$81.5

60.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.26 €38.07

$46.47 CA$64.4

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.3

$87.2 CA$121

23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 €154

$109 CA$151

64.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 €674

$1,414 CA$1,957

-44.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 €533

$1,172 CA$1,623

-47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 €1,144

$2,319 CA$3,211

-42.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 €1,184

$1,886 CA$2,612

-27.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,139 €2,700

$3,892 CA$5,389

-19.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 €2,010

$3,503 CA$4,851

-33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,376 €2,904

$3,149 CA$4,360

7.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

5.71

-30.30%

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

Last update for Dortmund: June 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Dortmund and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dortmund pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Dortmund vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $397 per month, with Dortmund 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

Dortmund vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dortmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dortmund pays 7% more on average, 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: $784 in Dortmund 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 Dortmund – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,139 per month in Dortmund versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,139 in Dortmund versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dortmund but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dortmund 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, Dortmund 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 Dortmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.