Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,127 in Gatineau versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,222 in Gatineau versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,316 in Gatineau versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Gatineau costs roughly 16% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gatineau 59% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 CA$18.21

$18.59 CA$25.83

-29.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 CA$121

$70.0 CA$97.3

24.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.21

$10.96 CA$15.22

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.40 CA$4.73

$3.73 CA$5.19

-8.85%

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

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.99 CA$2.76

-25.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.72 CA$2.39

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 CA$5.97

$5.01 CA$6.97

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.19 CA$8.60

$6.50 CA$9.04

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.87

$2.22 CA$3.09

-7.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$2.67 CA$3.71

10.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.75

$3.26 CA$4.53

49.08%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$3.35 CA$4.66

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 CA$16.72

$14.50 CA$20.14

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 CA$14.50

$12.95 CA$17.99

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.42

$16.15 CA$22.44

-31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 CA$6.40

$4.32 CA$6.00

6.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.35 CA$1.88

1.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.72

$3.83 CA$5.32

26.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.04

$4.18 CA$5.81

-13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.65 CA$3.68

-23.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.74 CA$3.81

-18.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CA$2.91

$2.76 CA$3.84

-24.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$1.95 CA$2.71

42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 CA$16.66

$14.98 CA$20.81

-19.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.27

$14.67 CA$20.38

-15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.84 CA$3.95

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$4.02 CA$5.58

-27.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$2.80 CA$3.89

15.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 CA$114

$86.2 CA$120

-4.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 CA$5.36

$3.60 CA$5.00

7.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.05

$1.32 CA$1.83

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.65 CA$46.76

$29.01 CA$40.31

15.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.12 CA$1.56

3.57%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

-0.37%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-6.61%

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

$111 CA$154

$217 CA$302

-49.03%

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

$39.98 CA$55.6

$41.55 CA$57.7

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.08 CA$68.2

$58.1 CA$80.7

-15.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 CA$59.1

$54.7 CA$76.0

-22.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 CA$42.91

$52.8 CA$73.4

-41.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.54

$12.77 CA$17.74

-12.45%

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

$575 CA$799

$874 CA$1,214

-34.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-25.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 CA$89.9

$58.8 CA$81.7

9.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.48 CA$61.8

$46.47 CA$64.6

-4.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 CA$109

$87.2 CA$121

-10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$109 CA$151

11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 CA$1,554

$1,414 CA$1,964

-20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 CA$1,355

$1,172 CA$1,629

-16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 CA$2,259

$2,319 CA$3,222

-29.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 CA$2,232

$1,886 CA$2,621

-14.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,304 CA$7,370

$3,892 CA$5,407

36.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,116 CA$8,498

$3,503 CA$4,867

74.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,631 CA$3,656

$3,149 CA$4,375

-16.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.71

13.84%

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

Last update for Gatineau: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,119 in Gatineau and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 20% 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: $87.0 in Gatineau vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $397, with Gatineau 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

Gatineau vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gatineau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 20% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,119 in Gatineau 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 Gatineau – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,127 per month in Gatineau versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,127 in Gatineau versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gatineau but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Gatineau 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 Gatineau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.