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: $1,767 in Karlstad versus $2,510 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,725 in Karlstad versus $3,653 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,683 in Karlstad versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Karlstad costs roughly 30% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karlstad 32% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 SEK 144

$18.65 CA$25.54

-16.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 623

$71.1 CA$97.4

-5.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 SEK 102

$10.82 CA$14.82

1.29%

Cappuccino

$4.81 SEK 44.62

$3.80 CA$5.21

26.58%

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

$2.57 SEK 23.79

$2.05 CA$2.81

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.66

$1.67 CA$2.29

26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 76.7

$5.22 CA$7.15

58.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$6.45 CA$8.84

27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.07

$2.22 CA$3.04

-36.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.43

$2.78 CA$3.81

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.12

$3.41 CA$4.67

11.14%

Eggs

$4.86 SEK 45.02

$3.47 CA$4.75

40.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 111

$14.42 CA$19.75

-16.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 SEK 129

$12.85 CA$17.61

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 158

$16.24 CA$22.25

4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.64

$4.46 CA$6.11

-30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 23.67

$1.30 CA$1.78

96.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.20

$3.73 CA$5.11

-12.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 46.22

$4.27 CA$5.86

16.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.69

$2.67 CA$3.66

-40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.10

$2.68 CA$3.67

-35.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.29

$2.75 CA$3.76

-4.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 11.80

$1.96 CA$2.69

-35.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.2

$14.55 CA$19.94

-50.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 SEK 101

$14.66 CA$20.09

-25.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.28

$2.81 CA$3.86

-37.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.88

$3.99 CA$5.47

-57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 29.63

$2.74 CA$3.75

16.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 SEK 788

$86.7 CA$119

-1.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 52.7

$3.58 CA$4.90

58.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SEK 12.61

$1.29 CA$1.77

5.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 595

$28.58 CA$39.15

124.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.67

$1.08 CA$1.48

86.11%

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

$32.0K SEK 296.4K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

25.72%

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

$34.0K SEK 315.0K

$21.6K CA$29.5K

57.67%

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

$108 SEK 1,001

$215 CA$294

-49.68%

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

$29.61 SEK 274

$40.83 CA$55.9

-27.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 SEK 398

$57.9 CA$79.4

-25.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 SEK 429

$54.0 CA$74.0

-14.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 SEK 163

$51.7 CA$70.9

-66.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 SEK 136

$12.56 CA$17.21

16.64%

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

$150 SEK 1,389

$871 CA$1,193

-82.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,178 SEK 29.5K

$16.1K CA$22.1K

-80.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 SEK 804

$58.6 CA$80.3

47.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 SEK 390

$46.97 CA$64.4

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SEK 748

$86.3 CA$118

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,363

$109 CA$150

34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,695

$1,388 CA$1,901

-24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,303

$1,181 CA$1,618

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

$2,337 CA$3,202

-46.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SEK 8,172

$1,886 CA$2,583

-53.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,375 SEK 31.3K

$3,125 CA$4,281

8.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.71

-15.94%

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

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Karlstad and $1,388 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlstad pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Karlstad vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $399 per month, with Karlstad cheaper across the board.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Karlstad pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,046 in Karlstad versus $1,388 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 $67.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,767 per month in Karlstad versus $2,510 in Calgary – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,767 in Karlstad versus $2,510 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 42% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.