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: $2,445 in Ottawa versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Ottawa versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Ottawa versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Ottawa is roughly 4% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ottawa 78% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.57 CA$27.08

$17.94 CA$24.82

9.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 CA$105

$70.5 CA$97.6

7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.13

$10.69 CA$14.79

2.34%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.52

$3.79 CA$5.24

5.28%

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

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.00 CA$2.77

3.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.98 CA$2.73

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.96

$5.19 CA$7.18

10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CA$8.73

$5.86 CA$8.11

7.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.95 CA$2.70

15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$2.82 CA$3.91

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$5.61 CA$7.77

-41.35%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.75 CA$5.19

-9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.19

$11.50 CA$15.91

-4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.69

$11.46 CA$15.86

-1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 CA$24.47

$18.95 CA$26.23

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$4.83 CA$6.69

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.37 CA$1.89

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.36

$4.25 CA$5.88

-8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.25

$4.15 CA$5.74

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.70 CA$3.74

1.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.34

$2.83 CA$3.91

-14.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$2.64 CA$3.65

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.51 CA$2.09

4.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.18

$14.60 CA$20.21

-0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 CA$16.81

$15.76 CA$21.80

-22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$2.60 CA$3.59

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$3.08 CA$4.26

17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.93 CA$4.05

0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 CA$135

$89.3 CA$124

9.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$3.32 CA$4.59

-16.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.43 CA$1.98

8.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.22 CA$26.59

$27.71 CA$38.34

-30.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.26 CA$1.74

-4.76%

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

$29.0K CA$40.1K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

0.25%

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

$22.2K CA$30.7K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

3.85%

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

$141 CA$195

$183 CA$253

-23.06%

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

$37.17 CA$51.4

$38.31 CA$53.0

-2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CA$71.3

$51.7 CA$71.5

-0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.10 CA$63.8

$54.9 CA$75.9

-15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.94 CA$40.05

$18.66 CA$25.82

55.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 CA$17.86

$14.26 CA$19.73

-9.47%

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

$959 CA$1,327

$828 CA$1,146

15.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$22.7K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.1

$59.6 CA$82.4

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$53.7

$39.47 CA$54.6

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$149

$94.3 CA$131

13.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$139

$113 CA$156

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 CA$2,077

$1,265 CA$1,750

18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 CA$1,741

$1,051 CA$1,454

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,218

$1,934 CA$2,676

20.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 CA$2,652

$1,700 CA$2,352

12.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,418 CA$6,113

$3,680 CA$5,092

20.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,702 CA$6,507

$3,333 CA$4,613

41.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,760 CA$5,203

$3,276 CA$4,533

14.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

4.4

-5.23%

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

Last update for Ottawa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,501 in Ottawa and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa pays 15% 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 Ottawa vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $372 vs $397, 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

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,501 in Ottawa versus $1,265 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 $76.0 in Ottawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,445 per month in Ottawa versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,445 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ottawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.