Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Milton versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,863 in Milton versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,967 in Milton versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Milton is roughly 18% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milton 102% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.41

$17.68 CA$24.74

-17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$71.2 CA$99.6

2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 CA$12.31

$10.85 CA$15.18

-18.89%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.06

$3.85 CA$5.39

-5.97%

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

$3.01 CA$4.21

$1.95 CA$2.73

54.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.32

$1.79 CA$2.51

32.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.80 CA$6.71

$4.97 CA$6.95

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 CA$8.71

$5.90 CA$8.25

5.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$1.84 CA$2.58

11.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$2.73 CA$3.82

-20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$5.44 CA$7.60

-52.21%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.68

$3.63 CA$5.07

-7.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 CA$13.02

$11.55 CA$16.15

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.04 CA$30.83

$11.57 CA$16.19

90.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.53 CA$32.91

$18.94 CA$26.50

24.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 CA$7.04

$4.95 CA$6.92

1.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.42 CA$1.98

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$4.22 CA$5.90

-32.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.50

$4.09 CA$5.72

-3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.43

$2.56 CA$3.58

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$2.82 CA$3.95

-24.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CA$3.24

$2.57 CA$3.59

-10.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$1.55 CA$2.16

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.47 CA$16.05

$14.59 CA$20.41

-21.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CA$18.77

$15.60 CA$21.83

-13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.58 CA$3.61

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$3.23 CA$4.52

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.96 CA$4.14

-0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 CA$81.3

$91.1 CA$127

-36.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.39 CA$1.95

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 CA$40.18

$27.67 CA$38.70

3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.47

$1.25 CA$1.75

-16.00%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

-11.99%

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

$19.2K CA$26.9K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-9.61%

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

$231 CA$324

$178 CA$249

30.10%

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

$52.7 CA$73.8

$39.31 CA$55.0

34.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$94.8

$50.9 CA$71.2

33.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.18 CA$66.0

$54.7 CA$76.5

-13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 CA$29.15

$18.77 CA$26.25

11.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 CA$19.87

$14.55 CA$20.36

-2.34%

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

$408 CA$571

$812 CA$1,135

-49.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.4K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

-32.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 CA$96.7

$59.4 CA$83.1

16.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 CA$65.3

$40.33 CA$56.4

15.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 CA$129

$92.2 CA$129

0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 CA$205

$113 CA$158

29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 CA$2,165

$1,284 CA$1,796

20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 CA$1,975

$1,018 CA$1,424

38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,548 CA$3,564

$1,977 CA$2,766

28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 CA$2,870

$1,746 CA$2,443

17.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,768 CA$6,671

$3,571 CA$4,995

33.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,143 CA$5,795

$3,359 CA$4,698

23.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,228 CA$4,516

$3,213 CA$4,495

0.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.69

4.48

27.01%

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

Last update for Milton: September 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,547 in Milton and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 0% 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: $73.0 in Milton vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $424 vs $395 per month, with Calgary 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

Milton vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Milton, 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: $1,547 in Milton 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 $73.0 in Milton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Milton versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,759 in Milton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Milton. 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, Milton 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 18% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.