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: $2,638 in Oakville versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,811 in Oakville versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,984 in Oakville versus $4,780 in Calgary.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oakville 97% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.20

$18.59 CA$25.86

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 CA$106

$70.0 CA$97.4

8.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.30

$10.96 CA$15.24

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.28

$3.73 CA$5.19

1.88%

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

$2.13 CA$2.96

$1.99 CA$2.77

7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.72 CA$2.40

-2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 CA$8.06

$5.01 CA$6.97

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$6.50 CA$9.05

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.25

$2.22 CA$3.09

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$2.67 CA$3.71

5.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.85

$3.26 CA$4.54

7.06%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.57

$3.35 CA$4.66

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 CA$18.57

$14.50 CA$20.16

-7.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.27

$12.95 CA$18.01

-9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.01

$16.15 CA$22.46

-10.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$4.32 CA$6.01

-11.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.35 CA$1.88

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.47

$3.83 CA$5.32

-15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.76

$4.18 CA$5.81

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$2.65 CA$3.68

-8.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.74 CA$3.81

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.76 CA$3.84

-21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.79

$1.95 CA$2.71

3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.51 CA$18.78

$14.98 CA$20.83

-9.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.33 CA$19.93

$14.67 CA$20.40

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.84 CA$3.95

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$4.02 CA$5.59

-25.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$2.80 CA$3.90

3.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CA$141

$86.2 CA$120

17.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.60 CA$5.01

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.32 CA$1.83

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.78 CA$33.07

$29.01 CA$40.35

-18.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.12 CA$1.56

-0.89%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

1.57%

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

$21.5K CA$29.9K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-2.18%

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

$120 CA$167

$217 CA$302

-44.61%

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

$39.95 CA$55.6

$41.55 CA$57.8

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CA$76.2

$58.1 CA$80.8

-5.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$54.7 CA$76.1

-17.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 CA$16.22

$12.77 CA$17.75

-8.61%

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

$1,117 CA$1,553

$874 CA$1,215

27.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.1K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

13.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$58.8 CA$81.8

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 CA$53.9

$46.47 CA$64.6

-16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 CA$137

$87.2 CA$121

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$109 CA$151

3.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CA$2,383

$1,414 CA$1,966

21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,956

$1,172 CA$1,630

19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 CA$3,610

$2,319 CA$3,225

11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 CA$3,224

$1,886 CA$2,623

22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,218 CA$5,865

$3,892 CA$5,413

8.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,181 CA$9,987

$3,503 CA$4,872

104.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,199 CA$4,448

$3,149 CA$4,380

1.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.71

15.94%

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

Last update for Oakville: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,714 in Oakville and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oakville pays 2% 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: $76.0 in Oakville vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $397, with Oakville cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oakville pays 2% more on average, 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: $1,714 in Oakville versus $1,414 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 $76.0 in Oakville. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,638 per month in Oakville versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 5% less than in Oakville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.