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: $2,534 in Ottawa versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Ottawa versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,722 in Ottawa versus $4,780 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 89% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.49 CA$25.71

$18.59 CA$25.86

-0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$70.0 CA$97.4

6.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 CA$15.90

$10.96 CA$15.24

4.29%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.43

$3.73 CA$5.19

4.56%

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

$2.06 CA$2.87

$1.99 CA$2.77

3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.72 CA$2.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$5.01 CA$6.97

19.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$6.50 CA$9.05

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.22 CA$3.09

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.79

$2.67 CA$3.71

1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.61

$3.26 CA$4.54

1.84%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.98

$3.35 CA$4.66

6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.78

$14.50 CA$20.16

-21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.37

$12.95 CA$18.01

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 CA$21.88

$16.15 CA$22.46

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.82

$4.32 CA$6.01

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.35 CA$1.88

1.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.73

$3.83 CA$5.32

-11.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$4.18 CA$5.81

-13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$2.65 CA$3.68

-5.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$2.74 CA$3.81

16.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$2.76 CA$3.84

-17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.95 CA$2.71

-19.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$19.16

$14.98 CA$20.83

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.04

$14.67 CA$20.40

-26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.84 CA$3.95

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$4.02 CA$5.59

-22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$2.80 CA$3.90

7.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CA$136

$86.2 CA$120

13.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.99

$3.60 CA$5.01

-20.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.32 CA$1.83

6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.58 CA$27.22

$29.01 CA$40.35

-32.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.12 CA$1.56

-0.89%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

1.91%

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

$21.6K CA$30.0K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-1.71%

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

$164 CA$228

$217 CA$302

-24.43%

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

$42.87 CA$59.6

$41.55 CA$57.8

3.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.7

$58.1 CA$80.8

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 CA$66.6

$54.7 CA$76.1

-12.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.23 CA$22.58

$52.8 CA$73.5

-69.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 CA$15.15

$12.77 CA$17.75

-14.64%

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

$898 CA$1,249

$874 CA$1,215

2.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$58.8 CA$81.8

-9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 CA$56.4

$46.47 CA$64.6

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 CA$126

$87.2 CA$121

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 CA$132

$109 CA$151

-12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 CA$2,086

$1,414 CA$1,966

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$1,172 CA$1,630

9.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,250

$2,319 CA$3,225

0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 CA$2,651

$1,886 CA$2,623

1.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,478 CA$6,228

$3,892 CA$5,413

15.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 CA$6,542

$3,503 CA$4,872

34.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 CA$5,091

$3,149 CA$4,380

16.23%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,500 in Ottawa and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75.0 in Ottawa vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 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

Ottawa pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,500 in Ottawa versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $898 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 $75.0 in Ottawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.