Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $3,592 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

175

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Fort Lauderdale, FL Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,592

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fort Lauderdale, FL and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,592 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $3,592
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,242 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $5,242
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,892 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $6,892
Calgary $4,493

Living in Fort Lauderdale, FL is roughly 61% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lauderdale, FL 168% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.73 $29.73

$17.22 CA$24.54

72.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.1 $90.1

$71.2 CA$101

26.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 $15.15

$10.56 CA$15.06

43.47%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.77 CA$5.38

40.85%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.91 CA$2.73

51.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.84 CA$2.63

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.86 CA$6.93

20.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.55 CA$7.91

24.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.88 CA$2.68

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.73 CA$3.89

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.34 CA$7.61

-28.46%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$3.77 CA$5.37

23.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.33 $17.33

$11.29 CA$16.09

53.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 $10.36

$11.46 CA$16.34

-9.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.45 $26.45

$18.26 CA$26.03

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$4.64 CA$6.62

39.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.44 CA$2.05

38.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.22 CA$6.02

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.86 CA$5.50

38.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.62 CA$3.74

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.66 CA$3.79

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 CA$3.69

3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.53 CA$2.19

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$14.26 CA$20.32

-18.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$15.27 CA$21.76

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.41 CA$3.44

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.09 CA$4.41

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.88 CA$4.11

-7.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 $80.7

$88.7 CA$126

-9.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.23 CA$4.61

24.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.38 CA$1.97

31.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.65 $23.65

$26.49 CA$37.75

-10.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.18 CA$1.68

-10.17%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$28.3K CA$40.3K

17.11%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$20.7K CA$29.5K

31.07%

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

$219 $219

$159 CA$227

37.81%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$37.61 CA$53.6

73.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 $80.1

$49.68 CA$70.8

61.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 $68.5

$53.3 CA$75.9

28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 $14.50

$18.31 CA$26.10

-20.81%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 $18.01

$14.08 CA$20.06

27.91%

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

$1,008 $1,008

$809 CA$1,154

24.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.2K $41.2K

$15.9K CA$22.6K

160.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.35 $47.35

$58.8 CA$83.8

-19.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 $41.28

$38.84 CA$55.4

6.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$91.4 CA$130

-2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$109 CA$155

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$1,237 CA$1,764

102.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$996 CA$1,420

106.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,783 $4,783

$1,908 CA$2,720

150.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,518 $3,518

$1,671 CA$2,382

110.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,424 $5,424

$3,530 CA$5,032

53.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,178 $4,178

$3,336 CA$4,755

25.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,618 $4,618

$3,130 CA$4,461

47.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

4.51

47.01%

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

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: October 4, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$2.1K 56.7%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 51.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$458 12.6%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 15.4% $71

Eating Out

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$410 11.3%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 35.4% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$365 10%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 32.4% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$132 3.6%

Calgary

$134 6% 1.4% $1.8

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$105 2.9%

Calgary

$81 3.7% 22.1% $23

Getting Around

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$104 2.9%

Calgary

$110 5% 5.7% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,502 in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lauderdale, FL pays 48% 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: $90.0 in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

07:51 7:51 AM

05:51 5:51 AM

2 h behind Fort Lauderdale, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

165,521

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Fort Lauderdale, FL Calgary 3,980 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Fort Lauderdale, FL
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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

Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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: $2,502 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $1,237 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 $90.0 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,592 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $3,592 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.