Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,466 in Markham versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,616 in Markham versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,767 in Markham versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Markham is roughly 5% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 80% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 CA$25.23

$17.68 CA$24.74

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 CA$75.1

$71.2 CA$99.6

-24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$14.91

$10.85 CA$15.18

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.21

$3.85 CA$5.39

-3.38%

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

$1.79 CA$2.50

$1.95 CA$2.73

-8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$1.98

$1.79 CA$2.51

-21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 CA$6.50

$4.97 CA$6.95

-6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CA$9.63

$5.90 CA$8.26

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$1.84 CA$2.58

4.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.73 CA$3.82

-18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.85

$5.44 CA$7.61

-62.50%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.32

$3.63 CA$5.07

-14.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.16 CA$17.02

$11.57 CA$16.19

5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 CA$10.00

$18.94 CA$26.51

-62.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.11

$4.95 CA$6.92

-26.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.42 CA$1.98

-7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.21

$4.22 CA$5.91

-45.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$4.09 CA$5.72

-15.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$2.56 CA$3.58

-18.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.82 CA$3.95

-30.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 CA$4.06

$2.57 CA$3.59

12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.16

$1.55 CA$2.16

-0.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 CA$18.88

$14.59 CA$20.41

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.35 CA$21.48

$15.60 CA$21.83

-1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.47

$2.58 CA$3.61

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.58

$3.23 CA$4.52

1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CA$4.25

$2.96 CA$4.14

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.4 CA$132

$91.1 CA$127

3.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 CA$4.74

$3.17 CA$4.43

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.79 CA$26.29

$27.67 CA$38.71

-32.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.25 CA$1.75

-12.00%

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

$28.4K CA$39.7K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

0.22%

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

$18.6K CA$26.0K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-12.86%

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

$126 CA$176

$178 CA$249

-29.06%

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

$26.89 CA$37.62

$39.31 CA$55.0

-31.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 CA$66.4

$50.9 CA$71.2

-6.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 CA$62.0

$54.7 CA$76.6

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 CA$30.74

$18.77 CA$26.26

17.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.51

$14.55 CA$20.36

-28.73%

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

$899 CA$1,258

$812 CA$1,135

10.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K CA$38.6K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

68.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 CA$60.8

$59.4 CA$83.1

-26.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 CA$54.2

$40.33 CA$56.4

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$92.2 CA$129

3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 CA$136

$113 CA$158

-13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 CA$2,287

$1,284 CA$1,796

27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,967

$1,018 CA$1,425

38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,726 CA$3,814

$1,977 CA$2,767

37.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 CA$3,279

$1,746 CA$2,443

34.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,991 CA$8,382

$3,571 CA$4,995

67.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,574 CA$7,799

$3,359 CA$4,699

65.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,176 CA$4,444

$3,213 CA$4,495

-1.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.56

4.48

1.79%

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

Last update for Markham: September 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,635 in Markham and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Markham vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $395 per month, with Markham 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

Markham vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham and Calgary differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,466 vs $2,344 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $1,635 in Markham versus $1,284 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 $71.0 versus $54.0 in Markham. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,466 per month in Markham versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,466 in Markham, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Markham. 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, Markham 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 5% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.