Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor, NS and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor, NS and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,345 in Windsor, NS versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,357 in Windsor, NS versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Windsor, NS versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between Windsor, NS and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Windsor, NS 70% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 CA$25.88

$18.45 CA$25.59

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 CA$50.2

$71.5 CA$99.2

-49.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 CA$15.07

$10.68 CA$14.81

1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.07

$3.93 CA$5.46

-7.12%

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

$2.01 CA$2.79

$2.02 CA$2.80

-0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.97 CA$2.73

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$4.92 CA$6.82

-9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 CA$7.91

$5.90 CA$8.19

-3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CA$4.28

$2.03 CA$2.82

52.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.86 CA$3.97

-2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$5.72 CA$7.93

-40.56%

Eggs

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.81 CA$5.29

-1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 CA$18.87

$11.56 CA$16.04

17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 CA$15.43

$11.95 CA$16.57

-6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.32

$18.97 CA$26.30

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 CA$8.00

$4.91 CA$6.82

17.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.17

$1.42 CA$1.97

9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.77

$4.36 CA$6.04

11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CA$8.46

$4.03 CA$5.59

51.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.72 CA$3.77

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$2.88 CA$3.99

-26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$2.57 CA$3.57

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$1.49 CA$2.07

43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.50 CA$20.11

$14.71 CA$20.41

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 CA$20.10

$15.57 CA$21.60

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CA$4.75

$2.52 CA$3.50

36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.27 CA$4.53

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.94 CA$4.07

-19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$86.9

$89.8 CA$125

-30.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$3.30 CA$4.58

-11.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.37 CA$1.90

-0.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.40 CA$29.68

$27.07 CA$37.54

-20.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.22 CA$1.69

-1.64%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.41%

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

$19.8K CA$27.5K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-4.97%

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

$127 CA$176

$182 CA$253

-30.46%

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

$32.32 CA$44.82

$39.50 CA$54.8

-18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.44 CA$49.16

$51.4 CA$71.3

-31.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 CA$58.0

$54.8 CA$76.0

-23.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 CA$26.11

$18.79 CA$26.07

0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 CA$18.06

$14.52 CA$20.14

-10.33%

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

$378 CA$524

$819 CA$1,136

-53.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.8K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-16.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 CA$85.8

$61.8 CA$85.8

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 CA$49.50

$40.15 CA$55.7

-11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$94.3 CA$131

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$114 CA$158

3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 CA$1,783

$1,256 CA$1,741

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,612

$1,089 CA$1,510

6.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 CA$2,776

$1,994 CA$2,766

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 CA$2,445

$1,706 CA$2,367

3.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,310 CA$5,978

$3,627 CA$5,031

18.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,741 CA$5,189

$3,403 CA$4,719

9.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 CA$1,306

$3,246 CA$4,502

-70.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.48

2.68%

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

Last update for Windsor, NS: September 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,286 in Windsor, NS and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 245% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36.00 in Windsor, NS vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 vs $401, 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

Windsor, NS vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 245% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,286 in Windsor, NS versus $1,256 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $378 in Windsor, NS versus $819 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $36.00 in Windsor, NS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,345 in Windsor, NS, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Windsor, NS. 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.

It comes down to priorities – Calgary wins on affordability, Windsor, NS on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.