Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimsby and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimsby and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Grimsby versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,494 in Grimsby versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Grimsby versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Grimsby is roughly 2% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimsby 88% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.97

$18.33 CA$25.70

1.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$69.9 CA$98.0

11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.21

$10.95 CA$15.35

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.74 CA$5.24

-4.81%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$2.04 CA$2.86

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.67 CA$2.34

-10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.19

$5.20 CA$7.29

12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$6.71 CA$9.41

0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CA$4.11

$2.25 CA$3.15

30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.75 CA$3.85

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.09

$3.23 CA$4.53

34.37%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.59

$3.45 CA$4.83

-5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 CA$19.05

$14.40 CA$20.19

-5.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 CA$13.61

$12.89 CA$18.07

-24.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.65

$15.86 CA$22.24

-29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$4.30 CA$6.02

-32.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.34 CA$1.88

53.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.85 CA$5.40

-7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.10

$4.25 CA$5.97

-14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.55 CA$3.57

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.62 CA$3.68

11.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.80 CA$3.92

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.95 CA$2.73

10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.76 CA$19.29

$14.97 CA$20.99

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 CA$17.20

$13.90 CA$19.49

-11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$2.92 CA$4.10

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.91 CA$5.48

-41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.74 CA$3.84

-11.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$87.8 CA$123

-29.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 CA$4.28

$3.60 CA$5.04

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.30 CA$1.82

-6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.47 CA$31.51

$28.70 CA$40.24

-21.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.12 CA$1.57

-0.89%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-2.95%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-2.10%

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

$154 CA$216

$213 CA$299

-27.81%

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

$54.3 CA$76.2

$40.96 CA$57.4

32.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 CA$98.2

$57.9 CA$81.2

20.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.69 CA$58.5

$54.2 CA$76.0

-23.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 CA$12.26

$12.63 CA$17.71

-30.72%

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

$739 CA$1,036

$874 CA$1,226

-15.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.8K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

16.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 CA$100

$58.6 CA$82.2

22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 CA$57.9

$47.01 CA$65.9

-12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$158

$85.1 CA$119

32.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$108 CA$151

4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,808

$1,380 CA$1,935

-6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 CA$1,852

$1,159 CA$1,625

13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CA$2,623

$2,324 CA$3,259

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,532

$1,905 CA$2,670

-5.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 CA$6,166

$2,940 CA$4,121

49.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.71

12.08%

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

Last update for Grimsby: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,290 in Grimsby and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimsby pays 50% 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: $78.0 in Grimsby vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $396, with Grimsby 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

Grimsby vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Grimsby, 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: $1,290 in Grimsby versus $1,380 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 $70.0 versus $78.0 in Grimsby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,511 per month in Grimsby versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,511 in Grimsby, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Grimsby. 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 2% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.