Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Orem, UT and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,255 a month against $2,604 in Orem, UT, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Orem, UT outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Orem, UT
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Orem, UT Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Orem, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,604

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Orem, UT and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Orem, UT and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,604 in Orem, UT versus $2,255 in Calgary.

Orem, UT $2,604
Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,537 in Orem, UT versus $3,361 in Calgary.

Orem, UT $3,537
Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,470 in Orem, UT versus $4,468 in Calgary.

Orem, UT $4,470
Calgary $4,468

Living in Orem, UT is roughly 15% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Orem, UT 92% above, Calgary 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 $14.85

$17.58 CA$24.85

-15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$69.1 CA$97.6

-14.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$10.59 CA$14.97

3.40%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$3.84 CA$5.42

18.23%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.93 CA$2.72

-3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.88 CA$2.66

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.09 CA$7.20

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$5.64 CA$7.97

23.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.00 CA$2.82

-50.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.78 CA$3.93

13.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$5.59 CA$7.90

-54.74%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$3.70 CA$5.23

-17.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$11.48 CA$16.23

23.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$11.20 CA$15.84

19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$18.59 CA$26.28

1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.70 CA$6.64

-40.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.45 CA$2.05

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.34 CA$6.13

-40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.79 CA$5.36

16.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.75 CA$3.88

-54.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.56 CA$3.62

-35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.50 CA$2.12

24.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$14.39 CA$20.34

-33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$15.81 CA$22.35

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.47 CA$3.49

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.10 CA$4.39

-2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.81 CA$3.97

-13.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 $82.1

$90.6 CA$128

-9.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.28 CA$4.64

-53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.40 CA$1.97

-30.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.64 $19.64

$26.49 CA$37.45

-25.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.22 CA$1.72

-13.11%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$28.4K CA$40.1K

-11.02%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$20.8K CA$29.5K

23.53%

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

$163 $163

$165 CA$233

-1.23%

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

$44.72 $44.72

$38.24 CA$54.1

16.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$50.1 CA$70.9

21.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.23 $30.23

$53.8 CA$76.1

-43.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 CA$25.51

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$14.04 CA$19.84

5.06%

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

$957 $957

$797 CA$1,126

20.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

-35.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$59.1 CA$83.5

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.91 $40.91

$40.20 CA$56.8

1.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$90.8 CA$128

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$109 CA$155

23.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 $1,747

$1,207 CA$1,707

44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$1,011 CA$1,429

39.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$1,949 CA$2,756

14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 $1,864

$1,677 CA$2,371

11.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,435 $2,435

$3,532 CA$4,993

-31.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 $2,234

$3,392 CA$4,795

-34.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,724 $3,724

$3,152 CA$4,456

18.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

4.51

51.44%

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

Last update for Orem, UT: October 17, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Orem, UT

$1.4K 54%

Calgary

$1K 44.8% 28.1% $396

Groceries & Markets

Orem, UT

$365 * 14%

Calgary

$392 17.4% 7.3% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Orem, UT

$268 10.3%

Calgary

$253 11.2% 5.6% $15

Eating Out

Orem, UT

$264 10.1%

Calgary

$270 12% 2.5% $6.6

Clothing & Footwear

Orem, UT

$142 5.5%

Calgary

$135 6% 5.2% $7.4

Getting Around

Orem, UT

$98 3.8%

Calgary

$112 5% 14.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Orem, UT

$60 2.3%

Calgary

$82 3.6% 37% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,747 in Orem, UT and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orem, UT pays 18% 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: $59.0 in Orem, UT vs $69.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $392 per month, with Orem, UT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Orem, UT

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

21:39 9:39 PM

Same time as Orem, UT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

98,129

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Orem, UT Calgary 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Orem, UT
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Orem, UT vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in clothing and utilities. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Orem, UT, 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: $1,747 in Orem, UT versus $1,207 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 $69.0 versus $59.0 in Orem, UT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,604 per month in Orem, UT versus $2,255 in Calgary – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,255 in Calgary versus $2,604 in Orem, UT, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Orem, UT. 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, Orem, UT 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 Orem, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.