Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
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Indianapolis, IN Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,750

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Indianapolis, IN and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Indianapolis, IN and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Indianapolis, IN $2,750
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Indianapolis, IN $3,871
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Indianapolis, IN versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Indianapolis, IN $4,993
Calgary $4,493

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 23% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Indianapolis, IN 105% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$17.22 CA$24.54

15.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$71.2 CA$101

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$10.56 CA$15.06

14.20%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$3.77 CA$5.38

52.79%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.91 CA$2.73

65.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.84 CA$2.63

44.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.86 CA$6.93

26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.55 CA$7.91

44.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.88 CA$2.68

-54.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.73 CA$3.89

25.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.34 CA$7.61

-11.42%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.77 CA$5.37

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$11.29 CA$16.09

8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$11.46 CA$16.34

7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$18.26 CA$26.03

-5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$4.64 CA$6.62

21.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.44 CA$2.05

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.22 CA$6.02

11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.86 CA$5.50

12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.62 CA$3.74

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.66 CA$3.79

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.59 CA$3.69

-5.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.53 CA$2.19

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.29 $10.29

$14.26 CA$20.32

-27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$15.27 CA$21.76

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.41 CA$3.44

-14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.09 CA$4.41

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.88 CA$4.11

-38.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$88.7 CA$126

-33.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.23 CA$4.61

-36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.38 CA$1.97

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.52 $34.52

$26.49 CA$37.75

30.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.18 CA$1.68

-21.19%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$28.3K CA$40.3K

29.90%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$20.7K CA$29.5K

26.16%

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

$227 $227

$159 CA$227

42.25%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$37.61 CA$53.6

59.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$49.68 CA$70.8

29.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.76 $40.76

$53.3 CA$75.9

-23.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.11 $42.11

$18.31 CA$26.10

129.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$14.08 CA$20.06

8.59%

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

$1,735 $1,735

$809 CA$1,154

114.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$15.9K CA$22.6K

55.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$58.8 CA$83.8

-3.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.53 $44.53

$38.84 CA$55.4

14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$91.4 CA$130

19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$109 CA$155

30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$1,237 CA$1,764

38.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$996 CA$1,420

34.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$1,908 CA$2,720

42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$1,671 CA$2,382

18.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 $2,760

$3,530 CA$5,032

-21.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,859 $1,859

$3,336 CA$4,755

-44.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 $4,573

$3,130 CA$4,461

46.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

4.51

45.68%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Indianapolis, IN

$1.3K 49%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 25.9% $348

Groceries & Markets

Indianapolis, IN

$405 14.8%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 4.5% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indianapolis, IN

$351 12.8%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 29.7% $104

Eating Out

Indianapolis, IN

$334 12.2%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 20.6% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Indianapolis, IN

$159 5.8%

Calgary

$134 6% 15.5% $25

Getting Around

Indianapolis, IN

$77 2.8%

Calgary

$110 5% 43.3% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Indianapolis, IN

$71 2.6%

Calgary

$81 3.7% 14.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 46% 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: $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

06:14 6:14 AM

04:14 4:14 AM

2 h behind Indianapolis, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

882,039

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Indianapolis, IN Calgary 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Indianapolis, IN vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Indianapolis, IN, 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: $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,237 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 $71.0 versus $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,750 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Indianapolis, IN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.