Cost of Living Comparison Between Oakville and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Oakville and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Oakville versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,902 in Oakville versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,108 in Oakville versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Oakville is roughly 15% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oakville 96% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 CA$20.07

$17.94 CA$24.82

-19.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 CA$96.2

$70.5 CA$97.6

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 CA$12.95

$10.69 CA$14.79

-12.44%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.20

$3.79 CA$5.24

-0.79%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$1.98 CA$2.73

-19.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.14

$5.19 CA$7.18

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 CA$9.08

$5.86 CA$8.11

12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$1.95 CA$2.70

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.13

$2.82 CA$3.91

5.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.92

$5.61 CA$7.77

-36.54%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.87

$3.75 CA$5.19

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 CA$12.93

$11.50 CA$15.91

-18.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 CA$14.63

$11.46 CA$15.86

-7.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 CA$19.37

$18.95 CA$26.23

-26.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.94

$4.83 CA$6.69

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.53

$1.37 CA$1.89

33.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.99

$4.25 CA$5.88

-15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$4.15 CA$5.74

-29.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.50

$2.70 CA$3.74

-6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.47

$2.83 CA$3.91

14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.05

$2.64 CA$3.65

-16.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.51 CA$2.09

11.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.73 CA$20.38

$14.60 CA$20.21

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CA$17.89

$15.76 CA$21.80

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$2.60 CA$3.59

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 CA$3.70

$3.08 CA$4.26

-12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.88

$2.93 CA$4.05

-4.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CA$141

$89.3 CA$124

13.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.26 CA$1.74

-12.70%

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

$28.2K CA$39.0K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-2.62%

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

$19.0K CA$26.2K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-11.19%

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

$101 CA$139

$183 CA$253

-45.06%

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

$29.96 CA$41.46

$38.31 CA$53.0

-21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$68.2

$51.7 CA$71.5

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 CA$59.3

$54.9 CA$75.9

-21.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

Cinema Ticket

$9.34 CA$12.92

$14.26 CA$19.73

-34.50%

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

$1,044 CA$1,445

$828 CA$1,146

26.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CA$24.2K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

10.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 CA$99.5

$59.6 CA$82.4

20.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.7 CA$123

$39.47 CA$54.6

124.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 CA$159

$94.3 CA$131

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$148

$113 CA$156

-4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,397

$1,265 CA$1,750

36.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 CA$2,196

$1,051 CA$1,454

50.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 CA$3,662

$1,934 CA$2,676

36.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,459 CA$3,402

$1,700 CA$2,352

44.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 CA$5,869

$3,680 CA$5,092

15.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,324 CA$10.1K

$3,333 CA$4,613

119.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,231 CA$4,470

$3,276 CA$4,533

-1.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.4

22.50%

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

Last update for Oakville: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,733 in Oakville and $1,265 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: $70.0 in Oakville vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $397 per month, with Oakville 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

Oakville vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,733 in Oakville versus $1,265 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 $70.0 in Oakville. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,695 per month in Oakville versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,695 in Oakville, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Oakville. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oakville, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oakville 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 15% less than in Oakville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.