Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,188 in Winnipeg versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,222 in Winnipeg versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,257 in Winnipeg versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Winnipeg costs roughly 13% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Winnipeg 63% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 CA$22.72

$18.59 CA$25.86

-12.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.4

$70.0 CA$97.4

-6.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.53

$10.96 CA$15.24

1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.46

$3.73 CA$5.19

5.09%

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

$2.23 CA$3.10

$1.99 CA$2.77

12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.59

$1.72 CA$2.40

8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 CA$7.59

$5.01 CA$6.97

8.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.95

$6.50 CA$9.05

-0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.22 CA$3.09

-31.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$2.67 CA$3.71

-17.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$3.26 CA$4.54

2.15%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.65

$3.35 CA$4.66

-0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.85

$14.50 CA$20.16

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 CA$16.41

$12.95 CA$18.01

-8.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 CA$25.71

$16.15 CA$22.46

14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.57

$4.32 CA$6.01

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.35 CA$1.88

1.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.02

$3.83 CA$5.32

-5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.77

$4.18 CA$5.81

-17.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$2.65 CA$3.68

1.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.51

$2.74 CA$3.81

-7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.37

$2.76 CA$3.84

-11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.95 CA$2.71

-22.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.09 CA$22.38

$14.98 CA$20.83

7.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 CA$18.21

$14.67 CA$20.40

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.48

$2.84 CA$3.95

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 CA$4.93

$4.02 CA$5.59

-11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$2.80 CA$3.90

-13.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.5 CA$118

$86.2 CA$120

-1.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.60 CA$5.01

-9.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.32 CA$1.83

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.62 CA$37.02

$29.01 CA$40.35

-8.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CA$1.44

$1.12 CA$1.56

-8.04%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-0.00%

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

$21.8K CA$30.3K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-1.00%

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

$155 CA$215

$217 CA$302

-28.67%

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

$42.48 CA$59.1

$41.55 CA$57.8

2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$85.6

$58.1 CA$80.8

5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 CA$57.2

$54.7 CA$76.1

-24.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.74 CA$46.92

$52.8 CA$73.5

-36.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CA$17.90

$12.77 CA$17.75

0.78%

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

$978 CA$1,361

$874 CA$1,215

11.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-24.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.12 CA$66.9

$58.8 CA$81.8

-18.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.40 CA$59.0

$46.47 CA$64.6

-8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$113

$87.2 CA$121

-6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$109 CA$151

5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 CA$1,315

$1,414 CA$1,966

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 CA$1,405

$1,172 CA$1,630

-13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 CA$2,081

$2,319 CA$3,225

-35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 CA$2,132

$1,886 CA$2,623

-18.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 CA$3,299

$3,892 CA$5,413

-39.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,416 CA$3,360

$3,503 CA$4,872

-31.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 CA$3,597

$3,149 CA$4,380

-17.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

5.71

5.43%

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

Last update for Winnipeg: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Winnipeg and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 22% 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: $66.0 in Winnipeg vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $397 per month, with Winnipeg cheaper across the board.

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

Winnipeg vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Winnipeg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 22% 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: $945 in Winnipeg versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Winnipeg – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,188 per month in Winnipeg versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,188 in Winnipeg versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Winnipeg but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Winnipeg 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 Winnipeg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.