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: $2,466 in Marathon versus $2,433 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,508 in Marathon versus $3,642 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,549 in Marathon versus $4,850 in Calgary.

Living in Marathon is roughly 1% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Marathon 83% above, Calgary 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$25.68

$18.20 CA$24.93

3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$81.9

$70.0 CA$95.9

-14.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 CA$17.26

$11.01 CA$15.09

14.44%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.73 CA$5.11

-1.34%

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

$1.79 CA$2.46

$1.98 CA$2.71

-9.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$1.65 CA$2.26

-10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.13

$5.27 CA$7.22

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CA$6.92

$6.65 CA$9.11

-24.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.36

$2.15 CA$2.94

13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.46

$2.68 CA$3.67

-5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$3.40 CA$4.66

-23.24%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.03

$3.28 CA$4.49

-10.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.04

$14.65 CA$20.07

-40.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 CA$23.12

$12.61 CA$17.28

33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$21.95

$16.13 CA$22.10

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$4.46 CA$6.11

-19.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.34 CA$1.84

-18.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.57

$3.73 CA$5.11

-10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$4.29 CA$5.88

-26.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$2.67 CA$3.65

1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 CA$1.35

$2.61 CA$3.57

-62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 CA$3.99

$2.74 CA$3.76

6.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.90 CA$2.60

-43.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$14.98 CA$20.52

-37.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.05

$14.30 CA$19.59

-7.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.17

$2.90 CA$3.97

-45.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$3.97 CA$5.44

-30.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.68 CA$3.67

-12.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$84.4

$87.9 CA$120

-29.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$3.57 CA$4.88

-8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.34 CA$1.84

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.61

$29.30 CA$40.15

-11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.13 CA$1.55

-0.88%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

0.05%

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

$20.2K CA$27.7K

$22.2K CA$30.4K

-9.04%

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

$206 CA$282

$218 CA$299

-5.66%

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

$44.11 CA$60.4

$41.44 CA$56.8

6.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 CA$111

$58.2 CA$79.7

39.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 CA$57.6

$53.7 CA$73.6

-21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$14.70

$12.66 CA$17.34

-15.24%

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

$737 CA$1,009

$885 CA$1,212

-16.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$16.1K CA$22.0K

-25.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 CA$81.7

$58.1 CA$79.6

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$48.22 CA$66.1

-23.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$106

$88.4 CA$121

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$191

$106 CA$146

31.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,799

$1,396 CA$1,913

-5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,603

$1,186 CA$1,625

-1.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CA$2,748

$2,293 CA$3,142

-12.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CA$2,500

$1,859 CA$2,547

-1.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,406 CA$6,036

$3,779 CA$5,178

16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,723 CA$5,100

$3,509 CA$4,808

6.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 CA$2,523

$3,117 CA$4,271

-40.92%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Marathon and $1,396 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60 in Marathon vs $70 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $395 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

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 69% 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: $1,313 in Marathon versus $1,396 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 $70.0 versus $60.0 in Marathon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,466 per month in Marathon versus $2,433 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,466 in Marathon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Marathon. 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, 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Marathon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.