Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,463 in Ottawa versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,588 in Ottawa versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,713 in Ottawa versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between Ottawa and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ottawa 84% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$18.33 CA$25.79

1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$69.9 CA$98.3

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$10.95 CA$15.41

4.84%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.64

$3.74 CA$5.26

7.22%

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

$2.16 CA$3.04

$2.04 CA$2.87

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.67 CA$2.35

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.32

$5.20 CA$7.32

13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.26

$6.71 CA$9.45

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$2.25 CA$3.16

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.90

$2.75 CA$3.87

0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.65

$3.23 CA$4.54

2.17%

Eggs

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.45 CA$4.85

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$14.40 CA$20.26

-21.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.50

$12.89 CA$18.13

1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.03

$15.86 CA$22.32

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.17

$4.30 CA$6.05

2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.34 CA$1.89

1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$3.85 CA$5.42

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$4.25 CA$5.99

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.63

$2.55 CA$3.58

1.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$2.62 CA$3.69

20.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$2.80 CA$3.94

-18.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.95 CA$2.74

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.58

$14.97 CA$21.06

-7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$15.06

$13.90 CA$19.57

-23.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$2.92 CA$4.11

-18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$3.91 CA$5.50

-20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$2.74 CA$3.85

8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 CA$139

$87.8 CA$124

12.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$3.60 CA$5.06

-21.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.30 CA$1.83

12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 CA$27.71

$28.70 CA$40.39

-31.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.12 CA$1.57

3.57%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-1.73%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

2.70%

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

$158 CA$222

$213 CA$300

-25.79%

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

$43.32 CA$61.0

$40.96 CA$57.6

5.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 CA$73.6

$57.9 CA$81.5

-9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.95 CA$67.5

$54.2 CA$76.2

-11.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.06 CA$22.60

$53.8 CA$75.6

-70.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.78

$12.63 CA$17.77

-11.24%

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

$891 CA$1,253

$874 CA$1,230

1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

0.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$58.6 CA$82.5

-6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 CA$57.7

$47.01 CA$66.2

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 CA$127

$85.1 CA$120

6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$108 CA$151

-11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,084

$1,380 CA$1,942

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,771

$1,159 CA$1,631

8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,272

$2,324 CA$3,270

0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,936 CA$2,725

$1,905 CA$2,680

1.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 CA$6,249

$3,786 CA$5,327

17.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,678 CA$6,583

$3,511 CA$4,940

33.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,546 CA$4,990

$2,940 CA$4,136

20.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

5.71

-4.03%

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

Last update for Ottawa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,481 in Ottawa and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa pays 21% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74.0 in Ottawa vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $370 vs $396, with Ottawa 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

Ottawa vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 21% higher in Ottawa, 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: $1,481 in Ottawa versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $891 in Ottawa versus $874 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $74.0 in Ottawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,463 in Ottawa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Ottawa. 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 Ottawa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ottawa 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.

It comes down to priorities – Calgary wins on affordability, Ottawa on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.