Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,255 a month against $2,689 in Lowell, MA, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lowell, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lowell, MA 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 Lowell, MA and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Lowell, MA versus $2,255 in Calgary.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,243 in Lowell, MA versus $3,361 in Calgary.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,797 in Lowell, MA versus $4,468 in Calgary.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Calgary $4,468

Living in Lowell, MA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lowell, MA 98% above, Calgary 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$17.58 CA$24.85

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$69.1 CA$97.6

-0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$10.59 CA$14.97

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.84 CA$5.42

27.60%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$1.93 CA$2.72

4.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.88 CA$2.66

-12.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.09 CA$7.20

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.64 CA$7.97

45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.00 CA$2.82

-59.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.78 CA$3.93

-23.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$5.59 CA$7.90

-5.55%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$3.70 CA$5.23

11.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$11.48 CA$16.23

-2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$11.20 CA$15.84

-20.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$18.59 CA$26.28

-6.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.70 CA$6.64

-41.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.45 CA$2.05

-15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$4.34 CA$6.13

57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.79 CA$5.36

45.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.69 CA$3.81

-37.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.75 CA$3.88

61.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.56 CA$3.62

17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.50 CA$2.12

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.39 CA$20.34

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$15.81 CA$22.35

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.47 CA$3.49

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.10 CA$4.39

35.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.81 CA$3.97

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$90.6 CA$128

-39.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.28 CA$4.64

23.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.40 CA$1.97

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$26.49 CA$37.45

11.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.22 CA$1.72

-31.15%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$28.4K CA$40.1K

-2.42%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$20.8K CA$29.5K

27.41%

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

$186 $186

$165 CA$233

12.93%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$38.24 CA$54.1

34.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$50.1 CA$70.9

33.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$53.8 CA$76.1

-25.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$18.04 CA$25.51

-30.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$14.04 CA$19.84

0.07%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$797 CA$1,126

76.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

86.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$59.1 CA$83.5

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$40.20 CA$56.8

-5.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$90.8 CA$128

-12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$109 CA$155

-35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$1,207 CA$1,707

34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$1,011 CA$1,429

45.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$1,949 CA$2,756

91.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$1,677 CA$2,371

85.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$3,532 CA$4,993

-2.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$3,392 CA$4,795

4.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,152 CA$4,456

25.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.51

35.25%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Calgary

$1K 44.8% 31.4% $463

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Calgary

$392 17.4% 6% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Calgary

$253 11.2% 16.9% $51

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Calgary

$270 12% 5.8% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Calgary

$135 6% 22.2% $25

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Calgary

$112 5% 49.1% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Calgary

$82 3.6% 20.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,620 in Lowell, MA and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lowell, MA pays 26% 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: $69.0 in Lowell, MA vs $69.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $392 per month, with Lowell, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

02:48 2:48 AM

00:48 12:48 AM

2 h behind Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Lowell, MA Calgary 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lowell, MA vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Lowell, MA, 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: $1,620 in Lowell, MA versus $1,207 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 $69.0 versus $69.0 in Lowell, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,689 per month in Lowell, MA versus $2,255 in Calgary – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,255 in Calgary versus $2,689 in Lowell, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Lowell, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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, Lowell, MA 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Lowell, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.