Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wels and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Wels: $1,885 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Wels
🇦🇹 Austria
$1,885
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wels 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 Wels and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,885 in Wels versus $2,223 in Calgary.

  • Wels $1,885
  • Calgary $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Wels versus $3,301 in Calgary.

  • Wels $2,801
  • Calgary $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,717 in Wels versus $4,379 in Calgary.

  • Wels $3,717
  • Calgary $4,379

Living in Wels costs roughly 15% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wels 40% above, Calgary 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.47 €14.65
$17.22 CA$24.34
-4.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 €74.1
$71.1 CA$100
17.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 €10.07
$10.53 CA$14.89
7.50%
Cappuccino
$4.27 €3.79
$3.66 CA$5.18
16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 €3.01
$1.98 CA$2.80
70.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 €2.65
$1.94 CA$2.74
53.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.44 €4.84
$4.95 CA$7.00
9.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.42 €4.82
$5.57 CA$7.87
-2.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.88 CA$2.65
-19.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.14
$2.67 CA$3.78
-9.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 €1.54
$5.32 CA$7.52
-67.48%
Eggs
$3.84 €3.42
$3.79 CA$5.35
1.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.73 €19.33
$11.09 CA$15.68
95.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.85 €11.43
$11.36 CA$16.05
13.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.77 €19.36
$18.40 CA$26.01
18.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.65
$4.56 CA$6.45
-34.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.44 CA$2.04
22.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.42
$4.08 CA$5.76
-33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.81 €2.50
$3.89 CA$5.50
-27.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 €2.24
$2.64 CA$3.73
-4.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 €1.45
$2.64 CA$3.73
-38.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.50 CA$3.54
-9.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 €0.67
$1.50 CA$2.12
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.51 €6.68
$14.05 CA$19.86
-46.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.94 €7.95
$15.70 CA$22.20
-43.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.71
$2.44 CA$3.45
-67.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 €1.95
$3.09 CA$4.37
-29.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Wels
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.70 €2.40
$2.82 CA$3.99
-4.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.48 €34.23
$88.6 CA$125
-56.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.63 €5.01
$3.12 CA$4.41
80.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.34 €2.08
$1.35 CA$1.91
73.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.71 €27.32
$27.02 CA$38.20
13.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.59
$1.16 CA$1.64
54.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K €27.3K
$27.9K CA$39.5K
10.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K €26.9K
$20.3K CA$28.8K
48.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$333 €296
$161 CA$227
107.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.71 €12.19
$38.13 CA$53.9
-64.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.38 €33.25
$50.0 CA$70.7
-25.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.43 €40.41
$51.5 CA$72.8
-11.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.27 €29.59
$18.14 CA$25.64
83.41%
Cinema Ticket
$13.64 €12.13
$13.82 CA$19.54
-1.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,336 €1,189
$786 CA$1,111
69.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.0K
$15.5K CA$21.8K
2.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.5 €73.4
$58.3 CA$82.4
41.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.2 €52.7
$39.27 CA$55.5
50.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €98.9
$89.8 CA$127
23.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €110
$110 CA$155
12.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wels
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$676 €601
$1,229 CA$1,737
-45.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$550 €489
$1,001 CA$1,415
-45.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$935 €832
$1,921 CA$2,716
-51.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$791 €704
$1,621 CA$2,292
-51.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,158 €3,698
$3,549 CA$5,018
17.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,425 €3,047
$3,335 CA$4,715
2.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wels
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,072 €2,733
$3,165 CA$4,474
-2.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
4.51
-22.39%

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

Last update for Wels: 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
Wels
$550
Calgary
$1K 82.1% $451
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wels
$384
Calgary
$249 35.2% $135
Groceries & Markets
Wels
$362
Calgary
$385 6.5% $23
Eating Out
Wels
$280
Calgary
$265 5.5% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Wels
$169
Calgary
$134 21% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Wels
$73
Calgary
$79 8.8% $6.4
Getting Around
Wels
$67
Calgary
$110 64.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $676 in Wels and $1,229 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary 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: $83.0 in Wels vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $362 vs $385, with Wels cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Wels
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
18:45 6:45 PM
10:45 10:45 AM
8 h behind Wels
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
59,853
1,267,344
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wels Calgary 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Wels
  • 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
Wels vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than Wels?
Wels is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Wels or Calgary?
On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Calgary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Wels and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $676 in Wels versus $1,229 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Wels or in Calgary?
Dining out is cheaper in Wels – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Wels and in Calgary?
All in, you'll spend $1,885 per month in Wels versus $2,223 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Wels or in Calgary?
At $1,885 in Wels versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Wels but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Wels the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Wels or in Calgary?
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.
Which city is safer, Wels or Calgary?
Safety-wise, Wels 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Wels gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Wels vs other spots: cost of living compared

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