Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,040 in Owen Sound versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Owen Sound versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,309 in Owen Sound versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Owen Sound costs roughly 17% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Owen Sound 53% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 CA$21.12

$18.33 CA$25.79

-18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 CA$78.6

$69.9 CA$98.3

-20.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 CA$14.22

$10.95 CA$15.41

-7.67%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.74 CA$5.26

-13.64%

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

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.04 CA$2.87

-0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$5.20 CA$7.32

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.17

$6.71 CA$9.45

-13.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$2.25 CA$3.16

-20.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$2.75 CA$3.87

5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.33

$3.23 CA$4.54

39.32%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.45 CA$4.85

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 CA$9.61

$14.40 CA$20.26

-52.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 CA$24.01

$12.89 CA$18.13

32.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.28 CA$29.94

$15.86 CA$22.32

34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.72

$4.30 CA$6.05

-5.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.34 CA$1.89

35.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$3.85 CA$5.42

-24.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.82

$4.25 CA$5.99

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.55 CA$3.58

-1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.30

$2.62 CA$3.69

16.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 CA$4.35

$2.80 CA$3.94

10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.95 CA$2.74

-31.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 CA$19.03

$14.97 CA$21.06

-9.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CA$22.84

$13.90 CA$19.57

16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.13

$2.92 CA$4.11

73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$3.91 CA$5.50

-40.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$2.74 CA$3.85

-18.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$71.8

$87.8 CA$124

-41.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 CA$6.57

$3.60 CA$5.06

29.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.30 CA$1.83

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.59 CA$20.53

$28.70 CA$40.39

-49.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.57

0.89%

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

$28.5K CA$40.2K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

12.01%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

2.66%

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

$142 CA$199

$213 CA$300

-33.54%

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

$42.95 CA$60.4

$40.96 CA$57.6

4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$57.9 CA$81.5

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.7 CA$118

$54.2 CA$76.2

54.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 CA$81.6

$53.8 CA$75.6

7.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 CA$12.79

$12.63 CA$17.77

-28.03%

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

$574 CA$807

$874 CA$1,230

-34.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K CA$25.6K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

14.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.22 CA$60.8

$58.6 CA$82.5

-26.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.61 CA$57.1

$47.01 CA$66.2

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$114

$85.1 CA$120

-4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 CA$151

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 CA$1,535

$1,380 CA$1,942

-20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 CA$1,227

$1,159 CA$1,631

-24.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 CA$2,361

$2,324 CA$3,270

-27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 CA$2,188

$1,905 CA$2,680

-18.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,949 CA$4,150

$2,940 CA$4,136

0.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.71

19.61%

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

Last update for Owen Sound: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,091 in Owen Sound and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Owen Sound pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Owen Sound vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $396, with Calgary 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

Owen Sound vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owen Sound is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Owen Sound, 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: $1,091 in Owen Sound versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Owen Sound – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,040 per month in Owen Sound versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,040 in Owen Sound versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Owen Sound but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Owen Sound 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.

Safety-wise, Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.