Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,404 in Marathon versus $2,517 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,402 in Marathon versus $3,646 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,401 in Marathon versus $4,776 in Calgary.

Living in Marathon costs roughly 4% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Marathon 79% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.86

$18.37 CA$25.65

0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.7

$69.7 CA$97.4

-14.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 CA$17.37

$10.88 CA$15.19

14.34%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$3.69 CA$5.16

2.71%

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

$1.88 CA$2.63

$2.03 CA$2.84

-7.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.74 CA$2.43

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 CA$7.54

$5.30 CA$7.40

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$6.74 CA$9.42

-24.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$2.23 CA$3.12

9.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$2.68 CA$3.75

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$3.35 CA$4.68

-23.88%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.01

$3.33 CA$4.65

-13.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 CA$12.25

$14.41 CA$20.12

-39.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 CA$23.08

$12.50 CA$17.46

32.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.42

$16.33 CA$22.81

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.78

$4.28 CA$5.98

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.35 CA$1.89

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.60

$3.74 CA$5.22

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$4.17 CA$5.83

-24.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$2.56 CA$3.58

1.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CA$1.36

$2.68 CA$3.74

-63.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$2.66 CA$3.71

13.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.88 CA$2.62

-39.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 CA$12.66

$14.66 CA$20.47

-38.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CA$17.58

$14.23 CA$19.87

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$2.95 CA$4.12

-43.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$3.89 CA$5.44

-29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$2.71 CA$3.79

-14.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.2

$87.7 CA$122

-27.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.59

$3.46 CA$4.83

-4.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.30 CA$1.81

10.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.74

$28.30 CA$39.52

-9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.09 CA$1.52

5.50%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$25.0K CA$34.9K

-1.09%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$22.2K CA$31.0K

-7.58%

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

$200 CA$279

$211 CA$295

-5.48%

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

$43.96 CA$61.4

$40.40 CA$56.4

8.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.7 CA$114

$58.5 CA$81.7

39.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$59.7

$53.8 CA$75.1

-20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$15.13

$12.64 CA$17.66

-14.24%

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

$734 CA$1,025

$865 CA$1,208

-15.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$16.1K CA$22.4K

-26.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.4

$58.1 CA$81.1

1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.3

$47.18 CA$65.9

-22.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CA$108

$85.4 CA$119

-9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$106 CA$148

33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,800

$1,416 CA$1,977

-8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,625

$1,153 CA$1,611

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,781

$2,370 CA$3,309

-15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,539

$1,864 CA$2,603

-2.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,374 CA$6,108

$3,834 CA$5,354

14.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 CA$5,447

$3,443 CA$4,808

13.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 CA$2,547

$3,105 CA$4,337

-41.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.71

8.41%

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

Last update for Marathon: June 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,289 in Marathon and $1,416 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 70% 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: $60.0 in Marathon vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $393 per month, with Marathon 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

Marathon vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Calgary earns 70% less. 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: $1,289 in Marathon versus $1,416 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Marathon – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,404 per month in Marathon versus $2,517 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,404 in Marathon versus $2,517 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Marathon but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Marathon 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, Marathon 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 Marathon 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.