Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,599 in Oshawa versus $2,481 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,728 in Oshawa versus $3,599 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Oshawa versus $4,716 in Calgary.

Living in Oshawa is roughly 5% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oshawa 95% above, Calgary 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 CA$25.59

$18.64 CA$26.16

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$105

$70.3 CA$98.7

5.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 CA$14.41

$11.26 CA$15.80

-8.88%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.35

$3.70 CA$5.19

3.24%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.05 CA$2.88

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.67 CA$2.34

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.39

$5.26 CA$7.38

0.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 CA$8.53

$6.74 CA$9.45

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.76

$2.23 CA$3.13

20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.75 CA$3.86

-0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.26

$3.28 CA$4.60

14.33%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.99

$3.40 CA$4.78

4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 CA$16.95

$14.45 CA$20.28

-16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.67

$12.58 CA$17.66

-11.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$22.48

$15.85 CA$22.24

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.85

$4.42 CA$6.20

-21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.34 CA$1.88

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.84 CA$5.39

2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$7.00

$4.33 CA$6.08

15.24%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.68

$2.54 CA$3.57

87.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.73 CA$3.84

22.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$2.69 CA$3.78

8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.90 CA$2.67

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.76

$14.81 CA$20.79

-0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 CA$17.65

$14.43 CA$20.25

-12.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.94 CA$4.12

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.98 CA$5.59

-24.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$2.70 CA$3.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 CA$123

$88.3 CA$124

-0.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$3.42 CA$4.81

5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.94

$1.31 CA$1.84

59.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.74 CA$30.51

$28.41 CA$39.88

-23.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.58

1.79%

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

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$24.9K CA$35.0K

-1.01%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-5.79%

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

$233 CA$327

$210 CA$295

10.86%

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

$58.8 CA$82.5

$41.33 CA$58.0

42.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 CA$105

$57.8 CA$81.2

29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 CA$58.4

$55.3 CA$77.7

-24.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.70 CA$51.5

$52.2 CA$73.3

-29.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.38

$12.47 CA$17.50

-0.72%

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

$1,305 CA$1,832

$886 CA$1,244

47.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-25.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$85.0

$59.1 CA$82.9

2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CA$83.0

$47.08 CA$66.1

25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 CA$165

$87.1 CA$122

35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CA$221

$110 CA$154

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,786

$1,415 CA$1,986

-10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,667

$1,180 CA$1,657

0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,829

$2,374 CA$3,332

-15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CA$2,652

$1,855 CA$2,603

1.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,145 CA$7,222

$3,755 CA$5,271

37.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.6K

$3,479 CA$4,883

198.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,207

$3,035 CA$4,260

-1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.71

8.76%

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

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Oshawa and $1,415 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: $74.0 in Oshawa vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $384 vs $396, with Oshawa 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

Oshawa vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% 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: $1,272 in Oshawa versus $1,415 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 $74.0 in Oshawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,599 per month in Oshawa versus $2,481 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,599 in Oshawa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Oshawa. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Oshawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.