Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waltham, MA and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,223 a month against $4,201 in Waltham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

207

Cost of Living Index in Waltham, MA
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Waltham, MA Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,201

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Waltham, MA and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Waltham, MA and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,201 in Waltham, MA versus $2,223 in Calgary.

Waltham, MA $4,201
Calgary $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,499 in Waltham, MA versus $3,301 in Calgary.

Waltham, MA $6,499
Calgary $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,798 in Waltham, MA versus $4,379 in Calgary.

Waltham, MA $8,798
Calgary $4,379

Living in Waltham, MA is roughly 89% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waltham, MA 211% above, Calgary 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 $24.71

$17.22 CA$24.34

43.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 $97.1

$71.1 CA$100

36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.53 CA$14.89

15.29%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$3.66 CA$5.18

46.72%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$1.98 CA$2.80

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.94 CA$2.74

19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.95 CA$7.00

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$5.57 CA$7.87

45.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.88 CA$2.65

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.67 CA$3.78

49.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.32 CA$7.52

1.50%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$3.79 CA$5.35

28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$11.09 CA$15.68

-0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.44 $14.44

$11.36 CA$16.05

27.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$18.40 CA$26.01

-5.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.56 CA$6.45

46.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.44 CA$2.04

21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$4.08 CA$5.76

30.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.89 CA$5.50

44.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.64 CA$3.73

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.64 CA$3.73

52.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.50 CA$3.54

15.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.50 CA$2.12

96.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.70 $12.70

$14.05 CA$19.86

-9.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 $13.59

$15.70 CA$22.20

-13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.44 CA$3.45

-11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.09 CA$4.37

35.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$88.6 CA$125

-33.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.12 CA$4.41

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.35 CA$1.91

25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$27.02 CA$38.20

4.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.16 CA$1.64

-9.48%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.9K CA$39.5K

29.38%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$20.3K CA$28.8K

28.90%

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

$321 $321

$161 CA$227

99.79%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$38.13 CA$53.9

45.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 $85.0

$50.0 CA$70.7

69.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$245 $245

$51.5 CA$72.8

376.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.64

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.82 CA$19.54

6.44%

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

$1,868 $1,868

$786 CA$1,111

137.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$15.5K CA$21.8K

96.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$58.3 CA$82.4

-4.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 $37.65

$39.27 CA$55.5

-4.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$89.8 CA$127

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$110 CA$155

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,229 CA$1,737

99.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 $2,454

$1,001 CA$1,415

145.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,393 $5,393

$1,921 CA$2,716

180.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,043 $5,043

$1,621 CA$2,292

211.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,549 CA$5,018

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,335 CA$4,715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,090 $5,090

$3,165 CA$4,474

60.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

4.51

47.23%

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

Last update for Waltham, MA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Waltham, MA

$2.5K 58.4%

Calgary

$1K 45% 59.2% $1.5K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waltham, MA

$462 11%

Calgary

$249 11.2% 46.1% $213

Groceries & Markets

Waltham, MA

$457 10.9%

Calgary

$385 17.3% 15.7% $72

Eating Out

Waltham, MA

$360 8.6%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 26.5% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Waltham, MA

$275 6.5%

Calgary

$79 3.6% 71.2% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Waltham, MA

$123 2.9%

Calgary

$134 6% 8.4% $10

Getting Around

Waltham, MA

$70 * 1.7%

Calgary

$110 4.9% 56.2% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,457 in Waltham, MA and $1,229 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waltham, MA pays 61% 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: $97.0 in Waltham, MA vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $385 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waltham, MA

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

08:58 8:58 AM

2 h behind Waltham, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,636

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Waltham, MA Calgary 3,350 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Waltham, MA
Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Waltham, MA vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% higher in Waltham, MA, 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: $2,457 in Waltham, MA versus $1,229 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 $97.0 in Waltham, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,201 per month in Waltham, MA versus $2,223 in Calgary – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,223 in Calgary versus $4,201 in Waltham, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Waltham, MA. 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 Waltham, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Waltham, MA 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 89% less than in Waltham, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.