Cost of Living Comparison Between Lelystad and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Lelystad and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,791 in Lelystad versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,758 in Lelystad versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,725 in Lelystad versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Lelystad costs roughly 24% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lelystad 30% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.51 €20.29

$17.94 CA$24.84

31.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 €71.9

$70.5 CA$97.7

18.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 €12.26

$10.69 CA$14.80

32.93%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.81

$3.79 CA$5.24

16.36%

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

$2.73 €2.36

$2.00 CA$2.77

36.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.98 CA$2.73

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.86

$5.19 CA$7.19

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.10

$5.86 CA$8.11

-18.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.95 CA$2.71

-32.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 €1.41

$2.82 CA$3.91

-42.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$5.61 CA$7.77

-53.65%

Eggs

$4.63 €3.99

$3.75 CA$5.20

23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 €6.13

$11.50 CA$15.93

-38.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 €12.51

$11.46 CA$15.87

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.61 €15.20

$18.95 CA$26.24

-7.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$4.83 CA$6.69

-54.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.37 CA$1.90

83.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$4.25 CA$5.88

-55.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 €3.12

$4.15 CA$5.75

-13.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.70 CA$3.74

-35.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.83 CA$3.92

-35.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.14

$2.64 CA$3.65

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.51 CA$2.09

-42.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 €8.61

$14.60 CA$20.22

-31.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.90

$15.76 CA$21.82

-56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.60 CA$3.60

-48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.08 CA$4.27

-14.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.7

$89.3 CA$124

29.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 €3.39

$3.32 CA$4.60

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 €2.48

$1.43 CA$1.98

100.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.99 €23.29

$27.71 CA$38.36

-2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.26 CA$1.74

84.92%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$28.9K CA$40.1K

19.50%

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

$40.7K €35.1K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

90.72%

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

$253 €218

$183 CA$253

38.17%

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

$15.08 €13.01

$38.31 CA$53.0

-60.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.14 €29.46

$51.7 CA$71.6

-33.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 €37.74

$54.9 CA$76.0

-20.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.84

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 €11.83

$14.26 CA$19.74

-3.86%

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

$2,903 €2,505

$828 CA$1,147

250.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,274 €7,140

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-47.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 €85.6

$59.6 CA$82.5

66.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.43

$39.47 CA$54.7

27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.6

$94.3 CA$131

6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$113 CA$156

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 €595

$1,265 CA$1,751

-45.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 €404

$1,051 CA$1,455

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 €1,206

$1,934 CA$2,678

-27.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 €697

$1,700 CA$2,354

-52.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,096

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,616

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,527 €2,180

$3,276 CA$4,536

-22.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

4.4

-27.05%

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

Last update for Lelystad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Lelystad and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 30% 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: $83.0 in Lelystad vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $397, with Lelystad 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

Lelystad vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $690 in Lelystad versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lelystad – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,791 per month in Lelystad versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,791 in Lelystad versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lelystad but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Lelystad 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, Lelystad 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 Lelystad 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.