Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,570 in Vaughan versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,765 in Vaughan versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,960 in Vaughan versus $4,795 in Calgary.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vaughan 92% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$21.08

$18.33 CA$25.79

-18.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 CA$109

$69.9 CA$98.3

10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 CA$14.25

$10.95 CA$15.41

-7.49%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.90

$3.74 CA$5.26

-6.95%

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

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.04 CA$2.87

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.67 CA$2.35

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.90

$5.20 CA$7.32

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.35

$6.71 CA$9.45

-22.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$2.25 CA$3.16

-21.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.75 CA$3.87

-22.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.23 CA$4.54

13.62%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.76

$3.45 CA$4.85

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 CA$12.16

$14.40 CA$20.26

-40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 CA$15.59

$12.89 CA$18.13

-14.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 CA$8.85

$15.86 CA$22.32

-60.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$4.30 CA$6.05

-31.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.34 CA$1.89

19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.12

$3.85 CA$5.42

-23.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.79

$4.25 CA$5.99

-19.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.55 CA$3.58

-25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$2.62 CA$3.69

-23.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CA$2.60

$2.80 CA$3.94

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.95 CA$2.74

-9.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 CA$18.27

$14.97 CA$21.06

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CA$16.26

$13.90 CA$19.57

-16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.92 CA$4.11

-26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$3.91 CA$5.50

-46.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 CA$3.99

$2.74 CA$3.85

3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$156

$87.8 CA$124

26.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$3.60 CA$5.06

-14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.30 CA$1.83

9.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 CA$31.50

$28.70 CA$40.39

-21.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.12 CA$1.57

-2.68%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-0.87%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-7.71%

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

$133 CA$188

$213 CA$300

-37.42%

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

$33.44 CA$47.06

$40.96 CA$57.6

-18.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 CA$69.8

$57.9 CA$81.5

-14.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.85

$54.2 CA$76.2

-38.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.79

$53.8 CA$75.6

-59.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.48

$12.63 CA$17.77

-12.91%

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

$820 CA$1,153

$874 CA$1,230

-6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

16.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CA$61.5

$58.6 CA$82.5

-25.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 CA$51.5

$47.01 CA$66.2

-22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$85.1 CA$120

-28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$108 CA$151

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,454

$1,380 CA$1,942

26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 CA$2,192

$1,159 CA$1,631

34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$2,324 CA$3,270

30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 CA$3,593

$1,905 CA$2,680

34.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,654 CA$12.2K

$3,786 CA$5,327

128.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,311 CA$8,881

$3,511 CA$4,940

79.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 CA$4,240

$2,940 CA$4,136

2.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

5.71

17.86%

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

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,744 in Vaughan and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vaughan pays 3% 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: $77.0 in Vaughan vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $396, with Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 3% higher in Vaughan, 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: $1,744 in Vaughan 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $77.0 in Vaughan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,570 per month in Vaughan versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,570 in Vaughan, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Vaughan. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

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