Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Kingston versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,282 in Kingston versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,227 in Kingston versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Kingston costs roughly 5% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 75% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 CA$23.76

$18.33 CA$25.79

-7.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$103

$69.9 CA$98.3

4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 CA$16.25

$10.95 CA$15.41

5.48%

Cappuccino

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.74 CA$5.26

-5.88%

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

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.04 CA$2.87

-6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.67 CA$2.35

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.13

$5.20 CA$7.32

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.28

$6.71 CA$9.45

-1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$2.25 CA$3.16

12.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.75 CA$3.87

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.60

$3.23 CA$4.54

23.22%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.14

$3.45 CA$4.85

-14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$14.40 CA$20.26

-24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$12.89 CA$18.13

-10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.53

$15.86 CA$22.32

-25.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$4.30 CA$6.05

-14.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.34 CA$1.89

-2.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.87

$3.85 CA$5.42

8.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.59

$4.25 CA$5.99

10.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.82

$2.55 CA$3.58

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.62 CA$3.69

-12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$2.80 CA$3.94

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.95 CA$2.74

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 CA$19.17

$14.97 CA$21.06

-9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 CA$17.01

$13.90 CA$19.57

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$2.92 CA$4.11

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$3.91 CA$5.50

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.74 CA$3.85

-7.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 CA$84.1

$87.8 CA$124

-31.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.52

$3.60 CA$5.06

-10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.30 CA$1.83

16.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.15 CA$46.65

$28.70 CA$40.39

15.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.52

$1.12 CA$1.57

-3.57%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-1.25%

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

$21.4K CA$30.1K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-1.67%

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

$131 CA$185

$213 CA$300

-38.37%

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

$44.09 CA$62.0

$40.96 CA$57.6

7.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 CA$110

$57.9 CA$81.5

35.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.46 CA$45.68

$54.2 CA$76.2

-40.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.30 CA$13.08

$53.8 CA$75.6

-82.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 CA$15.38

$12.63 CA$17.77

-13.46%

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

$445 CA$626

$874 CA$1,230

-49.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-27.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 CA$65.6

$58.6 CA$82.5

-20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 CA$50.0

$47.01 CA$66.2

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$133

$85.1 CA$120

10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 CA$132

$108 CA$151

-12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,844

$1,380 CA$1,942

-5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,664

$1,159 CA$1,631

1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 CA$2,935

$2,324 CA$3,270

-10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 CA$2,350

$1,905 CA$2,680

-12.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,419 CA$4,811

$3,786 CA$5,327

-9.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,453 CA$3,452

$3,511 CA$4,940

-30.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,010 CA$4,235

$2,940 CA$4,136

2.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.71

17.16%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,310 in Kingston and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Kingston vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $396, with Kingston 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

Kingston vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Kingston, 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: $1,310 in Kingston 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 Kingston – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,337 per month in Kingston versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,337 in Kingston versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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, Kingston 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 Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.