Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Fort McMurray versus $2,752 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,398 in Fort McMurray versus $4,183 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,474 in Fort McMurray versus $5,614 in Douglas.

Living in Fort McMurray costs roughly 16% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort McMurray 70% above, Douglas 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.45 CA$30.00

$28.84 IMP 21.40

-25.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 CA$82.0

$123 IMP 91.4

-52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.25 CA$19.93

$12.09 IMP 8.97

17.87%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.41

$5.18 IMP 3.84

-25.29%

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

$2.48 CA$3.46

$2.84 IMP 2.11

-12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.30

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-22.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 CA$8.11

$6.74 IMP 5.00

-13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CA$7.95

$6.02 IMP 4.47

-5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$2.61 IMP 1.93

-42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$2.74 IMP 2.04

2.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$2.16 IMP 1.60

37.96%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.33

$5.52 IMP 4.10

-44.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 CA$18.66

$8.38 IMP 6.22

59.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 CA$19.19

$8.99 IMP 6.67

52.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.90 CA$27.84

$13.09 IMP 9.71

52.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 CA$6.62

$3.00 IMP 2.23

58.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.81 IMP 1.34

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 CA$7.42

$3.82 IMP 2.83

38.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.96 CA$9.73

$3.61 IMP 2.68

92.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.22

$3.12 IMP 2.31

19.55%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.97

$3.08 IMP 2.28

38.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 CA$4.29

$2.18 IMP 1.61

40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$2.74 IMP 2.03

-48.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.90 CA$22.24

$23.18 IMP 17.20

-31.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 CA$20.31

$12.25 IMP 9.09

18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 CA$5.88

$4.47 IMP 3.31

-5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CA$5.01

$4.47 IMP 3.32

-19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$2.93 IMP 2.17

-50.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 CA$71.7

$98.3 IMP 72.9

-47.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$5.28 IMP 3.92

-30.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.51 IMP 1.12

-21.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.23

$80.1 IMP 59.4

-59.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.45

$1.97 IMP 1.46

-47.21%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

-37.48%

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

$22.1K CA$30.9K

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

-50.76%

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

$201 CA$281

$357 IMP 265

-43.82%

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

$50.0 CA$70.0

$63.0 IMP 46.76

-20.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 CA$87.7

$75.6 IMP 56.1

-17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.66 CA$62.5

$65.6 IMP 48.70

-31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 CA$12.70

$19.92 IMP 14.78

-54.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 CA$18.39

$16.24 IMP 12.05

-19.09%

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

$585 CA$818

$1,798 IMP 1,334

-67.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 CA$93.8

$100 IMP 74.4

-33.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 CA$50.1

$46.53 IMP 34.53

-23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$109

$116 IMP 86.1

-33.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 CA$120

$72.2 IMP 53.6

19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 CA$1,253

$1,267 IMP 940

-29.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,367

$1,105 IMP 820

-11.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 CA$2,264

$2,349 IMP 1,743

-31.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,335

$2,068 IMP 1,535

-19.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 CA$3,790

$5,063 IMP 3,757

-46.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 CA$2,730

$3,958 IMP 2,937

-50.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,226 CA$4,514

$3,057 IMP 2,269

5.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

4.76

0.21%

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

Last update for Fort McMurray: September 14, 2026

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $896 in Fort McMurray and $1,267 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort McMurray pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Fort McMurray vs $123 in Douglas. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $366, with Douglas 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

Fort McMurray vs Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort McMurray is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Fort McMurray, 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: $896 in Fort McMurray versus $1,267 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Fort McMurray versus $2,752 in Douglas – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Fort McMurray runs roughly 92% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,322 in Fort McMurray versus $2,752 in Douglas, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Fort McMurray but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Fort McMurray 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, Fort McMurray and Douglas 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 Fort McMurray gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.