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: $2,074 in Gatineau versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,119 in Gatineau versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,164 in Gatineau versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Gatineau costs roughly 12% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gatineau 50% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.81 CA$17.76

$18.45 CA$25.59

-30.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.6 CA$122

$71.5 CA$99.2

22.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.27

$10.68 CA$14.81

3.09%

Cappuccino

$3.22 CA$4.47

$3.93 CA$5.46

-18.07%

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

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.02 CA$2.80

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.97 CA$2.73

-31.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 CA$6.06

$4.92 CA$6.82

-11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.27

$5.90 CA$8.19

13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 CA$2.69

$2.03 CA$2.82

-4.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.86 CA$3.97

1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 CA$7.32

$5.72 CA$7.93

-7.69%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.55

$3.81 CA$5.29

-13.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.53

$11.56 CA$16.04

3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.25

$11.95 CA$16.57

-14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CA$15.33

$18.97 CA$26.30

-41.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.67

$4.91 CA$6.82

-16.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$1.42 CA$1.97

34.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.86

$4.36 CA$6.04

13.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 CA$6.62

$4.03 CA$5.59

18.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.72 CA$3.77

-22.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.88 CA$3.99

-13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.57 CA$3.57

-14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.49 CA$2.07

81.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.52 CA$17.37

$14.71 CA$20.41

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.33

$15.57 CA$21.60

-19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$2.52 CA$3.50

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.78

$3.27 CA$4.53

5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 CA$4.60

$2.94 CA$4.07

12.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 CA$116

$89.8 CA$125

-7.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 CA$7.08

$3.30 CA$4.58

54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.37 CA$1.90

75.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.14 CA$45.96

$27.07 CA$37.54

22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.22 CA$1.69

-2.46%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.08%

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

$19.6K CA$27.2K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-5.94%

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

$117 CA$162

$182 CA$253

-35.91%

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

$36.76 CA$51.0

$39.50 CA$54.8

-6.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.45 CA$68.6

$51.4 CA$71.3

-3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.78 CA$66.3

$54.8 CA$76.0

-12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.11 CA$41.75

$18.79 CA$26.07

60.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 CA$15.16

$14.52 CA$20.14

-24.72%

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

$563 CA$780

$819 CA$1,136

-31.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 CA$97.7

$61.8 CA$85.8

13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CA$60.9

$40.15 CA$55.7

9.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$94.3 CA$131

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$114 CA$158

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 CA$1,556

$1,256 CA$1,741

-10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 CA$1,321

$1,089 CA$1,510

-12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,559

$1,994 CA$2,766

-7.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 CA$2,085

$1,706 CA$2,367

-11.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,174 CA$7,176

$3,627 CA$5,031

42.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,244 CA$8,659

$3,403 CA$4,719

83.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,692 CA$3,733

$3,246 CA$4,502

-17.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

4.48

3.57%

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

Last update for Gatineau: September 7, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,122 in Gatineau and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 21% 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: $88.0 in Gatineau vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $401, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,122 in Gatineau versus $1,256 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 $88.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,074 per month in Gatineau versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,074 in Gatineau versus $2,344 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 13% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.