Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,787 in Karlstad versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,727 in Karlstad versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Karlstad versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Karlstad costs roughly 24% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karlstad 31% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 SEK 150

$17.68 CA$24.74

-13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 SEK 797

$71.2 CA$99.6

13.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 102

$10.85 CA$15.18

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.57

$3.85 CA$5.39

28.05%

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

$2.55 SEK 25.09

$1.95 CA$2.73

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 20.17

$1.79 CA$2.51

14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 80.1

$4.97 CA$6.95

63.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 SEK 64.8

$5.90 CA$8.25

11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 15.12

$1.84 CA$2.58

-16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 SEK 28.38

$2.73 CA$3.82

5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 36.51

$5.44 CA$7.60

-31.99%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.82

$3.63 CA$5.07

25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 SEK 101

$11.55 CA$16.15

-11.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 SEK 142

$11.57 CA$16.19

24.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.10 SEK 178

$18.94 CA$26.50

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.58

$4.95 CA$6.92

-39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.58

$1.42 CA$1.98

90.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.90

$4.22 CA$5.90

-25.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 SEK 54.2

$4.09 CA$5.72

34.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.78

$2.56 CA$3.58

-29.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$2.82 CA$3.95

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.63

$2.57 CA$3.59

5.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.23

$1.55 CA$2.16

-13.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 SEK 69.8

$14.59 CA$20.41

-51.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 SEK 100

$15.60 CA$21.83

-34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$2.58 CA$3.61

-5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 20.28

$3.23 CA$4.52

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 SEK 32.12

$2.96 CA$4.14

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 SEK 802

$91.1 CA$127

-10.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 SEK 55.7

$3.17 CA$4.43

78.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SEK 13.30

$1.39 CA$1.95

-2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 626

$27.67 CA$38.70

129.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 18.04

$1.25 CA$1.75

46.40%

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

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

20.04%

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

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

55.14%

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

$102 SEK 1,005

$178 CA$249

-42.65%

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

$18.84 SEK 186

$39.31 CA$55.0

-52.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.60 SEK 440

$50.9 CA$71.2

-12.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.80 SEK 461

$54.7 CA$76.5

-14.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 SEK 168

$18.77 CA$26.25

-9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 SEK 145

$14.55 CA$20.36

1.24%

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

$132 SEK 1,298

$812 CA$1,135

-83.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 SEK 918

$59.4 CA$83.1

56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.89 SEK 403

$40.33 CA$56.4

1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 SEK 744

$92.2 CA$129

-18.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 SEK 1,435

$113 CA$158

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SEK 8,673

$1,284 CA$1,796

-31.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 SEK 5,873

$1,018 CA$1,424

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

$1,977 CA$2,766

-38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 SEK 8,485

$1,746 CA$2,443

-50.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

$3,571 CA$4,995

8.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

$3,359 CA$4,698

-14.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

$3,213 CA$4,495

-4.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

4.48

-12.05%

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

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Karlstad and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $81.0 in Karlstad vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $395, with Karlstad 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

Karlstad vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $880 in Karlstad versus $1,284 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Karlstad – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,787 per month in Karlstad versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,787 in Karlstad versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Karlstad but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Karlstad 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, Karlstad and Calgary 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 Karlstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.