Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,803 in Pickering, ON versus $2,510 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,807 in Pickering, ON versus $3,653 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Pickering, ON versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Pickering, ON is roughly 12% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pickering, ON 109% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 CA$25.39

$18.65 CA$25.54

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$98.0

$71.1 CA$97.4

0.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$10.82 CA$14.82

1.20%

Cappuccino

$2.38 CA$3.26

$3.80 CA$5.21

-37.37%

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

$1.63 CA$2.23

$2.05 CA$2.81

-20.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$1.98

$1.67 CA$2.29

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 CA$6.71

$5.22 CA$7.15

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CA$6.67

$6.45 CA$8.84

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.22 CA$3.04

-2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.78 CA$3.81

-20.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.15

$3.41 CA$4.67

31.67%

Eggs

$3.37 CA$4.61

$3.47 CA$4.75

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 CA$15.19

$14.42 CA$19.75

-23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$12.85 CA$17.61

21.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 CA$20.51

$16.24 CA$22.25

-7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.48

$4.46 CA$6.11

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 CA$1.38

$1.30 CA$1.78

-22.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.74

$3.73 CA$5.11

12.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 CA$6.80

$4.27 CA$5.86

16.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.00

$2.67 CA$3.66

9.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$2.68 CA$3.67

31.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.64

$2.75 CA$3.76

-3.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.96 CA$2.69

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 CA$11.86

$14.55 CA$19.94

-40.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 CA$18.07

$14.66 CA$20.09

-10.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.53

$2.81 CA$3.86

-8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.16

$3.99 CA$5.47

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 CA$3.88

$2.74 CA$3.75

3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$86.8

$86.7 CA$119

-26.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$3.91

$3.58 CA$4.90

-20.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.67

$1.29 CA$1.77

-5.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.82 CA$31.26

$28.58 CA$39.15

-20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

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

$24.5K CA$33.6K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-3.55%

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

$22.5K CA$30.8K

$21.6K CA$29.5K

4.30%

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

$167 CA$229

$215 CA$294

-22.17%

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

$36.22 CA$49.62

$40.83 CA$55.9

-11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 CA$91.3

$57.9 CA$79.4

15.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$54.0 CA$74.0

17.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$15.91

$12.56 CA$17.21

-7.56%

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

$758 CA$1,039

$871 CA$1,193

-12.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$16.1K CA$22.1K

-26.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 CA$105

$58.6 CA$80.3

31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 CA$74.4

$46.97 CA$64.4

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 CA$102

$86.3 CA$118

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 CA$117

$109 CA$150

-21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,311

$1,388 CA$1,901

21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 CA$2,173

$1,181 CA$1,618

34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 CA$3,005

$2,337 CA$3,202

-6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 CA$2,902

$1,886 CA$2,583

12.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,682 CA$9,154

$3,823 CA$5,237

74.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,273 CA$7,224

$3,596 CA$4,926

46.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,064 CA$4,198

$3,125 CA$4,281

-1.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.71

15.06%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: April 28, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Pickering, ON and $1,388 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Pickering, ON vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $385 vs $399, with Pickering, ON 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

Pickering, ON vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 2% 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: $1,687 in Pickering, ON 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 $72.0 in Pickering, ON. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,803 per month in Pickering, ON versus $2,510 in Calgary – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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, Pickering, ON 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 12% less than in Pickering, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.