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: $2,557 in Oshawa versus $2,510 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,795 in Oshawa versus $3,653 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,032 in Oshawa versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Oshawa is roughly 2% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oshawa 91% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 CA$24.95

$18.65 CA$25.54

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$99.7

$71.1 CA$97.4

2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 CA$14.32

$10.82 CA$14.82

-3.42%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.24

$3.80 CA$5.21

0.79%

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

$1.88 CA$2.57

$2.05 CA$2.81

-8.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.67 CA$2.29

-7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 CA$7.24

$5.22 CA$7.15

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CA$8.41

$6.45 CA$8.84

-4.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.22 CA$3.04

20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$2.78 CA$3.81

-6.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.41 CA$4.67

7.33%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.47 CA$4.75

-2.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 CA$16.79

$14.42 CA$19.75

-14.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.67

$12.85 CA$17.61

-10.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 CA$22.31

$16.24 CA$22.25

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.92

$4.46 CA$6.11

-19.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$1.30 CA$1.78

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.29

$3.73 CA$5.11

3.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 CA$6.94

$4.27 CA$5.86

18.74%

Potato (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.23

$2.67 CA$3.66

70.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$2.68 CA$3.67

23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.14

$2.75 CA$3.76

9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.83

$1.96 CA$2.69

-31.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.57

$14.55 CA$19.94

3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CA$17.66

$14.66 CA$20.09

-12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.20

$2.81 CA$3.86

9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$3.99 CA$5.47

-24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 CA$3.74

$2.74 CA$3.75

-0.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$86.7 CA$119

1.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$3.58 CA$4.90

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$1.29 CA$1.77

70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.25 CA$30.48

$28.58 CA$39.15

-22.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.08 CA$1.48

1.85%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-1.15%

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

$20.6K CA$28.2K

$21.6K CA$29.5K

-4.35%

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

$236 CA$323

$215 CA$294

9.80%

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

$57.9 CA$79.4

$40.83 CA$55.9

41.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 CA$103

$57.9 CA$79.4

29.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 CA$57.3

$54.0 CA$74.0

-22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$51.7 CA$70.9

-28.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 CA$16.90

$12.56 CA$17.21

-1.75%

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

$1,346 CA$1,845

$871 CA$1,193

54.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$16.1K CA$22.1K

-25.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$80.9

$58.6 CA$80.3

0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.6 CA$79.0

$46.97 CA$64.4

22.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 CA$160

$86.3 CA$118

35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CA$217

$109 CA$150

44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 CA$1,785

$1,388 CA$1,901

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,181 CA$1,618

0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,727

$2,337 CA$3,202

-14.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 CA$2,659

$1,886 CA$2,583

2.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,248 CA$7,189

$3,823 CA$5,237

37.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CA$14.5K

$3,596 CA$4,926

194.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,106 CA$4,255

$3,125 CA$4,281

-0.60%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Oshawa and $1,388 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: $73.0 in Oshawa vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $385 vs $399, 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 1% less. 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: $1,303 in Oshawa versus $1,388 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 Oshawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,557 per month in Oshawa versus $2,510 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,557 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 2% less than in Oshawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.