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: $2,378 in Fort McMurray versus $2,515 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,394 in Fort McMurray versus $3,823 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,410 in Fort McMurray versus $5,131 in Douglas.

Living in Fort McMurray costs roughly 5% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort McMurray 79% above, Douglas 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.00 CA$36.44

$30.49 IMP 22.65

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$81.3

$108 IMP 80.2

-46.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.95 CA$20.96

$10.20 IMP 7.58

46.57%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.18

$5.32 IMP 3.96

-30.45%

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

$2.61 CA$3.66

$2.81 IMP 2.09

-7.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.96 IMP 1.46

-12.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.36

$6.49 IMP 4.82

-8.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 CA$7.82

$6.23 IMP 4.63

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$1.98 IMP 1.47

-28.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.11

$2.00 IMP 1.49

47.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.06

$2.02 IMP 1.50

43.56%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.61

$4.35 IMP 3.23

-24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 CA$16.13

$6.88 IMP 5.11

67.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.13 CA$19.80

$8.36 IMP 6.21

69.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 CA$21.70

$11.69 IMP 8.69

32.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.75

$2.35 IMP 1.75

74.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.13

$1.79 IMP 1.33

25.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 CA$7.20

$2.64 IMP 1.96

94.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 CA$8.90

$2.92 IMP 2.17

117.47%

Potato (1kg)

$5.14 CA$7.20

$2.36 IMP 1.75

117.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.64

$2.53 IMP 1.88

30.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.23

$1.66 IMP 1.23

81.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-33.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$22.45 IMP 16.68

-28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 CA$19.56

$11.95 IMP 8.88

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CA$4.80

$4.10 IMP 3.04

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$3.73 IMP 2.77

-42.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$3.05 IMP 2.27

-53.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.73 CA$68.3

$76.1 IMP 56.6

-35.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.65

$5.10 IMP 3.79

-34.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.53 IMP 1.13

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.69 CA$31.79

$80.1 IMP 59.5

-71.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-47.66%

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

$25.4K CA$35.5K

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

-26.89%

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

$22.7K CA$31.8K

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

-36.80%

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

$203 CA$284

$302 IMP 224

-32.84%

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

$42.18 CA$59.1

$37.77 IMP 28.06

11.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 CA$91.0

$70.3 IMP 52.2

-7.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 CA$64.8

$63.0 IMP 46.83

-26.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.53 IMP 15.25

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 CA$20.36

$13.74 IMP 10.21

5.75%

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

$968 CA$1,357

$1,315 IMP 977

-26.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

-63.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 CA$101

$94.3 IMP 70.1

-23.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 CA$55.9

$41.69 IMP 30.98

-4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 CA$113

$122 IMP 90.9

-33.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 CA$124

$78.9 IMP 58.7

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 CA$1,353

$1,240 IMP 921

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 CA$1,430

$1,099 IMP 816

-7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 CA$2,192

$2,152 IMP 1,599

-27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 CA$2,202

$1,901 IMP 1,412

-17.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,711 CA$3,799

$4,071 IMP 3,025

-33.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 CA$2,686

$3,142 IMP 2,334

-38.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,012 CA$4,220

$2,964 IMP 2,202

1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

3.66

82.24%

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

Last update for Fort McMurray: July 26, 2026

Last update for Douglas: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Fort McMurray and $1,240 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort McMurray pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Fort McMurray vs $108 in Douglas. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $305, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $966 in Fort McMurray versus $1,240 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,378 per month in Fort McMurray versus $2,515 in Douglas – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Fort McMurray runs roughly 56% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,378 in Fort McMurray versus $2,515 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 6% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.